


Crown of dragon wings (winter is coming)

by Amiradel



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Aristocracy, Dragons, Gen, Minor Character Death, Non-Linear Narrative, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-02-24 22:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 32,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22005163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amiradel/pseuds/Amiradel
Summary: Story about the end of the war for the Iron Throne and about of the war with Others
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, Theon Greyjoy/Jeyne Poole, Tyrion Lannister/Sansa Stark
Comments: 10
Kudos: 40





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is the result of the fact that I wanted to create something that relied only on books, not taking the series into account.  
> English is not my mother language, so I code have made some mistakes in the text, and I am very sorry if there are any.

He ran through the snow-covered forest. He was in a hurry, although he did not understand exactly where he was running. He only knew that something terrible was growing behind him and that only ahead of him there was something that would allow him to save. The Wall came out of the forest unexpectedly, gleaming with its huge icy surface. He rushed toward it, knowing for sure, that here was the place where he had fled. He remembered that somewhere here there were gate that would open for him, but no matter how much he ran along the Wall, he could not find the gate.

From where he came, an icy wind blew, ruffling white hair and scaring the wolf. However, he was no longer just a wolf, human emotions slowly returned to him, forcing him to seek solutions. There was no gate in the Wall, but he knew for sure that there were other ways to get over it. If he run along the Wall to the west for a long time, he can get to the mountains and go around the Wall there, and far to the east there was the salty water that he, when he was still a man, called the Bay of Seals; there he can sail around the Wall and be safe.

The wind blew sharper and more insistently, and with it heavy twilight began to approach, and he realized that he would not have time to reach neither the mountains nor the sea. He had time only until nightfall, and then with the darkness something terrible from which he fled will come. In desperation, he scratched Wall with his claws, but nothing changed. If he were a man, he could try to climb the Wall, as he once did with the wildlings. Of course, he would need equipment, but now it did not seem a problem, because while he were a wolf, even the best equipment was useless for him.

He lifted his head sadly, looking at the Wall, which stood almost seven hundred feet above him. It was impossible to climb there, only to fly up on the wings. He snorted, with the same success he might wish that the Wall parted and let him pass to the other side.

Suddenly, a sparkle of flame reflected in the dark sky, a fire was burning on the other side of the Wall. The darkness approaching from the north twitched, as if frightened by the gleams of fire, but almost immediately returned to its former position and slowly moved forward. The wolf whined, fear of something that was coming with the darkness, crowded out human emotions. Then he saw a flame, the reflections of which played in the sky, it soared above the Wall, illuminating the forest, causing the darkness to recede. Moreover, at the same time he felt that something in him echoed the flame. Not a wolf, but something else - more ancient, more terrible and much more powerful. It burst to the place where the flame burned, of which the wolf was afraid almost more than of the darkness approaching from the north. The flames beyond the Wall reared up, throwing a sheaf of sparks into an almost black sky and something that was hiding in the wolf burst out, pushing him away. He felt that he had become stronger and bigger and wings replaced his front legs. The dragon, the human part thought distantly, while the winged lizard soared into the sky, trying to fly over the Wall. I became a dragon. However why, none of my family was associated with dragons. He did not have an answer to this question, and he decided that he would think about it when he again became a man, now he was sure that he would.

The dragon slowly descended into the snowy courtyard of the castle - the Black Castle, he could now easily remember this name and much more. That before he recognized himself as a wolf running through a snowy forest, he was Lord Commander of the Night Watch, and that it was in this very courtyard were his brothers attacked him and wounded, and possibly killed, he was not too sure that at the moment he was alive.

The dragon landed gracefully on the snow on the other side of the Wall, trying to get to the fire that he knew would bring him back to that real world. However, there was something else between him and the fire. A blurry shadow that disgusted him with one look. The dragon could go around it, the yard was large enough, but he did not want to fight with those feelings that shadow caused. Slowly he inhaled the cold air and exhaled a stream of flame. The shadow flashed and disappeared almost immediately, leaving only a thin layer of red ash in the snow.

The path was clear, the dragon moved toward the fire, and the fire reached towards him. Just a few steps and the flame hugged the dragon, warming him, driving away the cold and covering the whole world with myriads of sparks.

The dragon sighed and scattered, becoming fire itself, and at that very moment in the small dark room, the Lord Commander of the Night Watch opened his eyes.


	2. Tyrion I

Some time ago, Tyrion decided to fight along with the rest of the Second Sons, and now he desperately regretted this decision. However, not fighting were perhaps even worse. Crazed dragons were much more willingly burning bright camp tents, and payed almost no attention to frightened people who were desperately trying to find at least some shelter.

However, it all started so well. The blow of the Second Sons in the back of the Yunkai army was a complete surprise. The Yunkays were caught between the troops that left Meereen, the Second Sons and the Greyjoy who came from the sea. The panic in the army of the masters left them no chance; it seemed that with another blow the victory would be in the hands of the supporters of the queen...

The cream dragon flew so low above the ground that Tyrion, who had hidden behind an upturned cart, thought that the leathery wing would now touch his head.

“Others take these Krakens.” He muttered, trying to snuggle closer to the cart and hoping that the dragon would not pay attention to such a little man.

The dragons went crazy with the sound of the horn coming from the ships of the islanders. As the viscous, unpleasant sound spilled over the field; both dragons abandoned what they were doing and rushed to the troops, exhaling jets of fire...

The cream dragon came back quickly. He made a circle over Tyrion's shelter and landed on the ground a few steps from him. Therefore, he still noticed, the thought flickered and evaporated when the dragon extended its long neck towards Tyrion.

“Maybe you won’t eat me?” – He asked cautiously. “I’m small, you won’t even taste, and there’s a lot of bigger prey”. - Tyrion jabbed his hand toward the former battlefield.

The dragon only snorted in response, releasing smoke from the nostrils, and pushed Tyrion with his head.

The impulse turned out to be so strong that the cart, which had stood quietly, staggered and got again on its wheels, and Tyrion involuntarily grabbed the dragon.

“I hope you don't mind?” He asked still cautiously, releasing the dragon.

The dragon snorted again and pushed again, this time much weaker.

“Do you want me to stroke you?” He held out his hand and touched the dragon again.

The dragon apparently wanted to, because it made a barely audible sound, something like a purr and rubbed its muzzle on Tyrion's hand.

“Good boy”. Tyrion finally smiled. “Maybe you will let me out, and we will go to the city”.

The dragon moved slightly, but did not leave, only set up the wing, as if inviting to climb it.

“Are you suggesting me to sit on your back?” Not believing himself Tyrion asked. “You know, I always dreamed of a dragon. I even once asked to give me one, not necessarily as big as you are. However, I was told that there are no more dragons, and after that, I cried all night.

The cream dragon snorted indignantly and jerked its wing, as if asking if you always wanted, then what are you waiting for, when I am here.

“Yes, yes, you're right, I really never sat on a dragon, but I think it's time to try”. Tyrion leaned on the dragon’s wing, cautiously climbed onto the back of a beautiful beast and immediately was forced to grab the spikes on the dragon’s neck so as not to fall from the taking off lizard. The sky rushed to meet him, and the earth swiftly rushed down, Tyrion's breath froze in his chest, and then burst out in a completely uncontrolled cry of delight. He flew and did not understand how he could live without it before, how he could exist without flying. Below the walls of the city, which they reached in a matter of moments, arose. People, down there seemed no bigger than foxes, running along the walls, at the sight of a dragon, some even grabbed their bows, but another, white figure, ran out onto the wall and, apparently, stopped the shooters.

“We should go down. Alternatively, if they will start shooting, they could hit me. And my little skin is still dear to me”. Tyrion patted the dragon on the cream side, however, not really hoping that he would be heard.

However, the dragon heard, or maybe felt the rider's wish. He folded his wings slightly and slowly sank down, right to the white figure standing on the wall.

“Everyone move”. The man shouted when the dragon gently landed on the wall. “Do not scare him”.

“I don’t think it’s so easy to scare him.” Shouted Tyrion in response, going down the dragon’s wing and looking closely at the person he knew. “Glad to see you, Sir Barristan, I must say that you have grown older since our last meeting”.

“Tyrion Lannister?” The amazement of the old man reflected in every feature of his face. “Why are you here?”

“I was forced to leave Westeros after my precious sister accused me of murder, which I did not commit.” Tyrion got out from the backside of dragon’s wing and was able to examine the old knight without interference. “And then the magister Mopatis, probably familiar to you, sent me here. He was so worried about the queen, and so eager to help her with all his might that it was just right to marvel at his generosity and nobility.”

“I would not like to discuss magister Mopatis.” - Gloomily answered the white knight. – And from you, Tyrion, I want to learn how you ended up on this side of the town wall, and how you were able to saddle Viserion.

“Viserion. So that's your name, boy.” Tyrion touched the dragon's face again, ready, however ready to pull his hand back at any moment. “And about saddling, Sir Barristan, you should ask Viserion himself, it was he who insisted that I sit on his back.

“He insisted on that?” The knight frowned. “Until today, he and Rhaegal insisted only on being fed. And now, Rhaegal flew into the sea, and Viserion suddenly got a rider.”

“Maybe it's connected to that sound.” Suggested Tyrion.

“With the one from that they seemed to be crazy?”

“Yes, with that one. It seemed to me that it was coming from the Greyjoy’s ships ...” Tyrion had no time to complete his thought; a young man, almost a boy, interrupted him.

“Sir. People are coming hear.”

“More likely krakens.” Turning his head, Tyrion saw people approaching the gate with the flag of Greyjoy. “I think they should be let in, Sir Barristan.”

“They are allies.” The old man frowned. “We will certainly let them in, although I do not trust them.”

“Trusting pirates would be utter stupidity.” - Tyrion shrugged. “But we can learn a lot from them.”

“Since when are you with us, Lannister?” - Knight frowned sharply.

“Ever since one of your queen's dragons chose me. Do you think she will be happy if I fly away with Viserion?”

The knight had not answer, he preferred to turn to the young man who reported about Greyjoy, and gave an order to open the gate.

“And yes, Sir Barristan.” Continued Tyrion, realizing that he won’t hear answer to the previous question. If we already agreed that I am on your side, then I would like your people to find and deliver to the city my companions - Jorah Mormont and Penny.”

“Mormont was banished by the queen, and his return without her permission is impossible.” The old knight frowned. “And who is this Penny?”

“Dwarf, but a good girl. It will be a pity if she dies.” Tyrion again looked at the field, where people gradually got out of their shelters. “And the Queen cannot be pardon Mormont without seeing him. I think that it will be right to let him into the city and wait for the Queen to return. Otherwise, you can imagine, Sir what will be if she will return to the city, decide to have mercy on Mormont, and realize that he is already dead. It will not work out well.

“Good, Lannister, you convinced me.” The knight responded. “If Jorah Mormont comes to the gate of Meereen, he will be allowed into the city. And now, if you are so serious in desire of being an adviser to the queen, you will have to go with me and talk with Greyjoy.”

“Viserion and I will go together. This will make a greater impression than if I go alone. Isn’t it, Viserion?” Tyrion turned to the dragon, it in response, quietly snorted and pushed the dwarf, apparently, agreed. “That's great.” Tyrion climbed up the winged wing and already from the back of the dragon shouted to those who remained below. “And I did not say anything about the adviser, Sir Barristan.”

“If you live so many years at the court, as I did, you will also begin to hear what people think but do not say.” The old man answered. “Get down, Lannister. And if it is within your power, do not let Viserion burn the Greyjoy before I go down.”

Tyrion only managed to grin when Viserion took off from the wall, and it became impossible for Sir Barristan to respond. After taking off, the dragon turned sharply in the air and quite leisurely descended onto a street cobbled with multi-colored brick, in front of the gate into which Greyjoy entered.

The first of them - tall, black-haired warrior, with a gold kraken embroidered on his chest, involuntarily staggered back and grabbed his weapon, when Viserion landed a few steps in front of him. The dragon, who sensed danger, growled dully, and Tyrion realized that he would have to intervene if he wanted to fulfill Barristan’s request.

“Greetings, dear allies. ‘He shouted, however still siting Viserion's back. - Do not swing your arms in front of the dragon's nose; because of this, he is nervous.

“And what about the fact that it is nervous?” - Grimly asked Greyjoy.

Nothing, besides the fact that it can kill you in at least three different ways, before you can move, Tyrion thought, but answered differently. “The dragon is a huge fire-breathing creature, the skin of which cannot be pierced by weapons. Although, if you have fire resistance, captain, then I think you may not remove your ax.

Apparently, Greyjoy did not possess fire resistance, as he hastened to hide the ax, and his people followed his example. However, one threat was not enough, the captain removed his weapons, but he did not become better off treating either the dragon or his rider. “And who are you actually?” He asked Tyrion.

\- Tyrion Lannister. – Was the answer. “I was asked to meet you until the Queen’s hand came down from the walls.”

“Lannister?” Someone from the Ironborn laughed. “Is it not the one for whose head they offer a mountain of gold and the title of lord?”

“If I did not have a twin brother, then the same one.” Tyrion grinned, mentally surprised that the iron people attach importance to such shallow fuss of the inhabitants of green lands. “But I will have to disappoint you; I will not go to my dear sister.”

“The Ironborn do not need handouts from the Lords of the green lands.” The commander responded harshly. “I need a queen.”

“Daenerys Targaryen? Unfortunately, she is not in the city. Although you can wait, she will probably be back soon.” Tyrion grinned. “But, if you decide to stay, Greyjoy, I would like to know your name, just to know how to appeal to you.”

“Victarion Greyjoy, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet.” The captain introduced himself with such a gloomy expression, that Tyrion thought that his name or his title is weary unpleasant to Greyjoy.

“So Balon Greyjoy’s brother come to us, and only as Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet.” Tyrion did not hide his own perplexity. “And we were sure that it was you who would become the new king of the Iron Islands.”

Lord Victarion had already opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by the descending Sir Barristan, who was surrounded by the Unsullied. “We are pleased to see the brave captains from the Iron Islands and are glad that the Iron Fleet is fighting on the side of the queen.” The greeting turned out to be peculiar, but judging by the faces of the iron-born, they liked it. “I am Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Queen’s Guard and ruler of the city during the absence of the queen. I would like to know to what we owe such a timely appearance of your fleet.”

“I sailed here for Queen Daenerys and her dragons.” Answered Victarion Greyjoy, causing Sir Barristan to fade, and Tyrion to understand that the situation was getting out of control.

“Viserion, be so kind as to set up the wing, I really need to go down.” Tyrion asked in a whisper, hoping that the dragon will hear him, and he will have time to be on the ground before one of the unexpected allies speaks again and destroys the fragile semblance of the peace. Fortunately, dragon, like last time, managed somehow to hear the words of the rider, or maybe to felt his desire, and lowered the cream wing to the pavement. “Thank you, boy.” Lannister muttered gratefully, sliding down to the pavement and turning to the islanders. “Lord Victarion, I am very sorry, but we cannot provide neither the queen nor the dragons.” Tyrion almost felt the contemptuous look of Sir Barristan and hastened to continue his speech. “The queen flew away on her dragon, and I am the rider of the second one.”

“And the third dragon flew to the sea.” Apparently, the end of the speech slightly softened Sir Barristan. “You can go and try to catch him if you need him so much.”

Lord Victarion stayed silent, apparently a prospect, of looking for a dragon, and then catching it over the sea did not seem so interesting to him, he intended to come and just pick up the dragons... Tyrion was about to flinch when this thought occurred to him. Greyjoy was going to pick up dragons, but how was he managing to do it. The dragon is not a domestic cat, which you can just put in a bag and carry away. The last piece of the mosaic was in Tyrion’s hands, and he could not keep silent. “And your wonderful horn cannot help subdue the third dragon? Maybe you will be luckier with him than with Viserion?”

"To do what? To subdue a dragon." Selmy sounded sincerely amazed, and the Lord Captain grabbed the handle of his ax, confirming Lannister’s assumptions.

“Calm down.” Tyrion hurriedly threw up his hands, hoping that his phrase would not lead to a battle, the Ironborn clutching their weapons and Unsullied bowing spears looked very gloomy. “Trying to steal dragons is certainly not good, but it didn’t lead to anything, so I think you should just forget about it.”

“Why have you decided that someone was trying to steal dragons?” - Sir Barristan repeated the question with grim perseverance, and Tyrion had to turn to him.

“Well, look, Sir. Lord Victarion sailed here for Daenerys and the dragons, and he was sure that he could pick up the dragons and the queen, and he was unlikely to count on his unearthly charm. When the horn blew from the ships of the Iron Fleet, the dragons began to burn everything, I suppose it was their reaction for trying to subdue them, they were frightened and angry, like any creature which you try to take out of its house by force. However, apparently, the horn nevertheless had some kind of influence, since Viserion quite unexpectedly recognized me as a rider and behaved quite friendly. Also, I cannot explain why the third dragon flew into the sea.” Tyrion complained about a hole in his harmonious theory. “If the horn laid the desire to find a master in them, then why didn’t he find himself someone in this field, how did Viserion find me?”

“Sounds reasonable. - admitted Sir Barristan with a sigh. “And I have an idea why Viserion chose you, Lannister, but we'll talk about it later.” Lower the spears.” He commanded the Unsullied, and then turned to unexpected allies. “You tried to steal the dragons of our queen, Lord Victarion, and this will certainly cause her fury, but you helped us win the battle and find a rider for the second dragon. I offer you a choice - you can stay and help us defend the city until the Queen returns or sail away. If choose second variant I will never tell her, that you tried to steal her dragons. It will be my”

“Moreover, if you decide to stay, we will definitely tell the queen how you helped us defend the city and, I think, she will agree to participate in your enterprise.” In his last words, Tyrion was not particularly sure, especially since he did not know why the islander needed a queen, but they were clearly worth saying. Expression of a granite rock left Greyjoy’s face and he again removed the ax.

“Defend a city is madness.” His words, however, still were not weary friendly. “The Volantis fleet is sailing here, and you can't handle it.”

“However, we also cannot leave the city.” - Sir Barristan frowned, so Tyrion felt the need to defuse the atmosphere, and at the same time try to make all of them real allies.

“Of course, we cannot deal with them alone, and neither can you, but together I think we can try.” We have the best soldiers in the world, the best sailors in the world. “Little flattery, no more, but it seemed that Lord Captain and his team liked it.” With us is Sir Barristan, who has already proved that he is able to find unexpected ways out of difficult situations, and we have a city with strong walls that can withstand a long siege.

The last sentence was controversial, but Selmy did not refute it; on the contrary, he nodded thoughtfully. “And we will also have a controlled dragon, which the Volantians certainly do not expect to meet. If the gods are on our side, then we will have a chance to win.”

“That's fine.” With a little exaggerated joy, Tyrion responded. “We cannot predict the decisions of the gods, but it is in our power to develop a good defense plan. Only we need some place to do this.” Tyrion thoughtfully looked at the giant pyramid. “And I hope that Sir Barristan will show us the right one.”


	3. Jon I

The room was very dark and cold, the only source of light was a burning candle. Jon sat; feeling his cloak slipped off, apparently, someone covered him so he would not freeze. This strange concern made him grin. His eyes gradually got used to the dim light of the candle after the fire from his dream, and Jon saw a very small room without any windows. Who brought him here? It was unlikely that the traitors done it, they were more likely to finish him off, but it was prevented apparently. Only now another question arose - who interfered and how did it all end? There were too many wildlings, too few watchers in the castle, and the conflict between them was too old. Jon just hoped that the existence of a Watch was not payment for his life.

He looked around and found all his clothes and the Long Claw next to the bed on which he was sitting. Lowered his legs from the bed, John bent down to put on his boots, it was necessary to find out what was happening, and for this it was necessary to get up.

At that moment, the door creaked quietly, letting someone into the room. It became lighter, long shadows appeared dancing along the walls; the one who came in brought a torch. John nevertheless putted on the second boot and then raised his head. At the door stood a man, short, massive, with a white beard and gray hair. Jon was sure that he had seen this man before, but could not remember who it was. Although there was clearly no time to remember now, wildling, and judging by his clothes, he was a representative of this particular people, looked at John with fear and was obscuring by the torch. Jon had to speak in order to prevent his own burning.

“You should not burn me.” He tried to speak calmly, which was greatly helped by the feeling of strange calmness inside. “I'm not dead. At least I think so.”

“Har.” The wildling breathed out, and John heard relief in his voice. “Once you say that, you is definitely not dead. It is good, you're not the worst of ravens, Tormund the Giant Death would be sorry to burn you.

Well, of course, Tormund. Jon was finally able to remember this bouncer. “I am also glad that there is no need to burn me.” He stood up and, lifting his jacket and cloak, dressed, the shirt that was on him was giving no heat at all.

“I thought you were going to die, Lord Crow.” Tormund informed him. “Three knives stuck into you, even the witch said you won’t survive.”

“Witch? Lady Melisandre?”

“Yes it was she.” Tormund spat gloomily on the floor. “If you knew what she did, Snow, you wouldn’t be so calm.”

“And what had she done?” Jon tried to go around Tormund, but he occupied the entire doorway.

A wildling gave Jon an evil look, apparently, he did not like his calmness, but he let Jon out of the room and spoke already walking along the corridors of the Black Castle. “She burned the girl, the daughter of that southern king, and said she would awaken the dragon.” Tormund spat again.

The girl, Jon thought, Shireen Baratheon; there were no other girls on the Wall. He knew that he should be horrified by this news, but he felt absolutely nothing. “Have you taken Lady Melisandre into custody?” John tried to react at least somehow. “She must be executed for what she has done.”

“We could not imprison her. She has burned.” Tormund grinned. “She said that she saw the dragon and broke out in flames, only red ash remained of her.

“Red ash?” Lord Commander frowned. “Can you show me where she stood?”

‘Har. Why not. - Tormund shrugged. “By the way, we took one of those who tried to kill you. He tried to slip away like a rat, but no one had escaped from Tormund.”

“Good. I will talk to him.” Jon nodded again and felt nothing again. “Tell me what happened with the Watch ... and the Ghost?” Only now he remembered his wolf and the fact that in a dream he could not overcome the Wall.

“You're too soft, crow. Har. To talk. I would not limit myself to a conversation.” As always, Tormund responded boastfully. “But don’t worry about your crows, we didn’t do anything to them, just slightly crushed their sides.”

“What about the Ghost?” Jon felt that the interlocutor was avoiding precisely this topic.

“About your wolf.” The leader of the wildlings immediately became sad and looked away. “He fought bravely, Jon, tore the throat of one of those who attacked you, but one of the crows shot him from a crossbow.”

This time, he felt something - a dull needle of pain pricked in his soul, a light wing of sadness slid along the edge of consciousness, but that was all. This was wrong, the Ghost was his friend, part of his soul, and he felt almost nothing at the news of his death. However, he knew that the wolf was dead, Jon tried to justify his reaction, well, maybe he didn’t know for sure, but he guessed. But the excuse sounded pathetic, with his mind he understood that he should experience grief from the death of the Ghost, and he did not feel anything in his soul.”

“How are you?” Cautiously asked Tormund. “I heard that wargs sometimes go crazy after the death of their beast.”

“I think I am a very bad warg. My wolf died, and I didn’t even feel it.” Jon stood still for a second in front of the closed door, pushed it and went out into the street lit by bright sunlight. Down below, some wildlings were constructing a huge bonfire, some of the watchers helped, some trained in another corner of the courtyard, a smoke curled over the kitchen, and the smell coming from there was very appetizing. Everything in the Black Castle was calm; the treasury did not end in the destruction of the Watch, of which Jon was so afraid.

Some of those who gathered the bonfire raised their heads, apparently attracted by the sound of the opening door. Surprise and bewilderment reflected on their faces, but they did not manage to pass into suspicion and fear, as the loud Tormund came out from behind Jon.

“Calm down.” He boomed. “Lord Crow did not become a white. The witch was wrong again.” The people below shouted something joyfully welcoming and gradually returned to their business.

“Why they are making a fire?” Jon wondered, going down to the yard. “Haven’t you burned those who died after the assassination attempt?”

“We burned those on the first day, and now they are preparing a bonfire for the people of the southern king, they tried to protect the red witch.” Tormund went around the fire under construction and pointed to a thin layer of red ash lying on top of the snow. “Here is your red witch. At first, she looked at the fire, and when we tried to stop all this, she turned to the Wall and screamed that she had succeeded, that the dragon had awakened, and then she flared up and burned down.”

Jon looked towards the Wall, walked around the place where the priestess died, looked from the other side. There was no doubt, the shadow that he saw in a dream stood where Lady Melisandre was in reality. It seemed the burning of the girl was led him into himself; it made him a dragon from sleep. “Tormund, tell me, has anyone else seen a dragon?” He asked the last of the questions that the leader of the wildlings could answer.

“Har. Who else could see him, except for the crazy witch? There was no dragon there.”

“Good.” Jon shrugged. “Can your people bring a captured traitor?”

“They are not my people, crow.” - Tormund akimbo. “But I think they will bring your traitor with pleasure.”

The wildling left, and Jon was left alone with himself. For the first time since he woke up, he had the opportunity to consider everything that had happened. He was wounded, there were three daggers, Melisandre promised four, but three were enough. Tormund was sure that John would die, Melisandre too. Moreover, in a dream, he was on the other side of the Wall, was a Ghost who could not get over because he died in this world. Because of his thoughts, John had two questions. The first - what really happened to him, could he die and then rise again? Is it possible to rise not a white, but a normal person? The second question was related to the dragon. He could not understand what the dragon had to do with him. However, the second question could well wait; there was too little information to answer it.

“I don't know anything.” He said quietly and for a few moments experienced emptiness when he did not add someone’s name after this phrase. The name of the girl, she often said that he did not know anything. What was her name? It took him a few seconds to remember that her name was Ygritte, and that he seemed to love her. It seemed ... What happened to him, that now he does not feel anything, that he couldn’t remember her face? Maybe he still died and came to life, but not by man, but by something like a thinking white.

“John.” Tormund's voice, which sounded almost overhead, made him flinch. “Here is your frozen crow.” Two strong wildlings kept a fat red-faced old man who looked at his Lord Commander with genuine horror. Jon, oddly enough, was even able to remember the name of the old man - Bowen Marsh, the main steward, although now, probably, it will be more accurate to say the former main steward.

“You should have died.” Marsh's voice was trembling. “You should.”

“But I am not dead.” John shrugged. “I have one question. For what all of this was?”

“You betrayed the Watch.” The old man tried to look Lord Commander in the eye, but immediately looked away. “We should have tried to save it.”

“You tried to save Watch, but in the end they almost killed it.” Jon shook his head and looked at Tormund. “Hang him or cut off his head, and then burn the with the queen’s people.”

“With pleasure.” Tormund grunted and nodded to those, who held Marsh. “Have fun, guys.” The old man was dragged away, and the leader of the wildlings turned again to Jon. “Look crow, whom else had I brought you?”

John saw, could not help but see. A beautiful fair-haired girl all time stood next to Tormund and it was difficult not to notice her. However, he was sure that he should know her, but this was not the first time that day he could not remember her name.

“Val was worried about you.” Tormund entered again. “She was constantly wondering if you were still alive.”

“Thank you.” Jon bowed, keenly aware that this is not enough, he must say, something else. But at that moment the screams of the watchers who watched the Gift were heard, a man walked to the castle.

He walked quickly, almost falling; it seemed he was terribly afraid of something. Once near the future bonfire, he could not stay on his feet, fell to his knees, and whispered barely audibly. “Lord Commander, I urgently need a Lord Commander.”

“It's me.” John helped the man up. “Who are you, and what do you want?”

“Are you Lord Commander Jon Snow? I am Davos Seaworth, right hand of King Stannis Baratheon, my lord.” Man answered quietly. “I'm here because of your brother.”

“My brothers are dead.” Jon shook his head.

“No, your brother, Rickon Stark is alive. At least for now.” The man tiredly lowered his head.

The news surprised Jon, he would like to say that he was pleased, but no, he did not feel a sense of joy again. However, his brother was alive, and this man knew something about this. It was necessary to question him. “Come on. Talk to me.” John looked around the watchers. “Bring warmed wine and food for our guest. Tormund, come with me.”

“Har. You are commanding too much today.” The wildling was indignant, nevertheless went with Jon, apparently, curiosity prevailed over pride.

It was warm in the former smithy, and after the black-haired young man, probably the steward, brought warm wine and lamb, it became almost cozy.

“I'm listening to you.” Looking at the brought food John suddenly felt himself hungry. “What do you know about my brother?”

“I brought him to the North, my lord.” The man looked so depressed that Jon became almost sorry.

“Don't call me my lord.” He shook his head. “Better just Jon.”

“Good, John.” The guest carefully drank the wine and continued. “King Stannis sent me to Lord Manderly, hoping that he would give the oath to him. The Lord agreed to do this, but on one condition. He informed me that Rickon and Brandon Starks are alive and that he knows where the youngest boy is. Wyman Manderly would agree to take the oath to Stannis if I brought him Rickon. I had to sail to Skagos, where your brother was. I managed to find him, him and the woman who looked after him. It was difficult to persuade him to return, the boy was afraid, he was sure that nothing good was waiting for him at home. Unfortunately, he turned out to be right, on the way back, our ship fell into a storm, and we were thrown ashore, where the Bolton people attacked us. The first time we managed to break out with the help of your brother's wolf. He attacked the attackers with such fury that they were forced to retreat. Unfortunately, the wolf himself was seriously injured, so we could not go far, and Rickon refused to abandon the beast. The woman offered to split up, I had to try to distract the soldiers, lead them away, and she and the boy would hide and later get to the Black Castle or White Harbor. I agreed, during the journey I managed to become attached to your brother, he was a good boy, although a little wild, but the plan did not work. At first, the soldiers followed me, but quickly saw that there was no wolf with me. Most of them rode off to look for Rickon, and from the rest I managed to hide in a ravine.

“So you think my brother is in the hands of Boltons?” Feeling the same calm, John asked.

“Unfortunately, I do not think, I know.” The right hand of King Stannis took another sip of wine. “A little later, the soldiers drove past my shelter, and I saw that they were carrying a child and a woman.”

“So my sister is in the hands of Boltons, and now my brother.” John clasped his fingers. “I have to get them back. Tormund, do you think the free folk still will agree to go with me to Winterfell?”

“Har.” Tormund grinned quite a bit. “They will go, you see. I will lead them myself.”

“No. You have to go to the Hardhome, as we agreed

“No need. To your ma-es-ter.” The wildling uttered an unusual word in syllables. “A raven came with a letter, and the letter said that three ships managed to escape from the Hardhome, they were sailing back, and there was no need to wait for anyone else, everyone who was not on the ships was dead.”

“Black wings, black words.” John squeezed his right hand. “If so, then gather free folk, I want to make sure that they will support me this time too.”


	4. Jaime I

The forest inspired unpleasant thoughts just with its mere presence. It was too good for a robber ambush, and according to the number of bandits in the River Lands, it was hard not to worry. Although perhaps he was mistaking. Jaime cast a glance at Brienne’s unflappable back and shook his head, nothing to her at all. She behaved as if she was taking a horse ride somewhere on his Tarth not going to fight for Sansa Stark. “Is our way still long, Brienne?” - Jaime spoke to his companion, hoping that part of her confidence would be transferred to him. “We’ve been riding almost all day.”

“No.” She shook her head, not looking back. “We're almost there.”

The phrase was encouraging, but Jaime did not like something in woman's voice. “And how did you stumble upon the Hound?” He decided to continue the conversation in order to dispel the discomfort. “What is he doing in the River Lands?”

“It can be said, that he found me himself.” Brienne said this somehow uncertainly, only reinforcing Jaime's suspicions. “He was looking for someone who was willing to pay a ransom for Lady Sansa. He found me, but I did not have money, and I thought that I could turn to you.”

The end of the story was so awkward that Jaime could not stand it and stopped the horse. “Brienne.” She also stopped the horse, but still did not turn around. “Why are you lying? Why did you really called me?”

“They promised to hang the boy.” The woman’s voice instantly lost all pretense of confidence and trembled, and when she turned around, tears stood in her huge blue eyes. “My squire. I could not leave him.”

“Who are they?” The unpleasant senses turned into confidence, and now Lannister could only hope that he understood everything not too late.

“Brotherhood without Banners.” From somewhere behind a tree a man with a bow emerged, and hope evaporated. “We have been following you for a long time. Now both of you will go with us.”

“And what if we don’t go?” Jaime put his hand on the hilt of the sword, realizing that he would not do anything, even the enemy with a sword he would hardly be able to defeat, and archers...

“I will have to force you.” The archer grinned.

“You promised me that you will let my companions go.” Brienne, previously silent, rose a voice.

“And you promised to bring Jaime Lannister, but you haven’t.”

The woman's face flinched, and Jaime felt pity mixed with sharp disappointment. Why is he so unlucky with women? First Cersei betrayed him, then Brienne. Although he was perhaps able to understand the second one, because she tried to save those whom she defended. “Lady Brienne has done everything, you are here.”

The archer looked at Jaime with interest and grinned. “Anyway, it’s not up to me to decide whom to let go. Lady will decide. Now give your weapons here to avoid trouble.

Weapons they had to give. Jaime could, of course, grab a sword and try to die heroically, but firstly, he was not at all willing to go to any of the seven hells, and secondly, he was not sure that he would be killed before they reach the mysterious Lady.

It really turned out to be a short trip. The sun hardly changed its position when the robbers made a stop to blindfold Brienne. Nobody tried to hide the road from Jaime; apparently, he was not destined to leave place where they were taken.

The road led to a large cave, in front of which the robbers dismounted. From somewhere inside came an old man in a mantle, which used to be red, but now it has turned light pink.

“Thoros.” The same archer who spoke with them greeted the old man. “Is Lady here?”

“Where else she could be.” The old man shook his head sadly and looked at Jaime. “She is waiting.

“Who is your Lady?” “It seemed to Jaime that he had seen the old man somewhere.”

“Soon you will see for yourself, Sir Jaime.”

“Have we met?”

“Come on, Lannister.” The archer intervened. “You should not make Lady wait longer than necessary.”

The old man shook his head again, but went into the cave so Jaime had to go after him. “We met in Kings Landing.” The old man nevertheless answered his question. “I was a red priest and a pretty drunkard.”

“So you're Thoros of Myr?” - Jaime finally managed to remember a priest who loved to use a burning sword in fights.

“Yes.” The red priest nodded. And then they finally entered the cave. It was much larger than it seemed from the outside. In the center of it a fire was burning, numerous people were huddling against the walls, and only near one wall was almost no people, only a woman in a gray cloak with a hood and two men.

“My lady.” As soon as they approached, Brienne fell on one knee in front of the woman. “I did what you demanded. Release my companions.”

“Why would we let them go? They are our enemies.” The man in a yellow cloak grinned. - And with the enemies, we have a short conversation. Maybe there is already no one to let go.”

“There is no one.” The voice of Brienne trembled, so Jaime wanted to intercede for her, but he did not have time.

“Don't worry, my lady.” The second man helped Brienne to get up and, looking at him, Lannister was amazed to recognize Sir Brynden Tully. “Your companions are alive, and you and they will be released immediately. Anguy make sure that my lady and her companions can leave our shelter.”

The archer did not answer immediately, at first he hesitantly looked at the woman, but she nodded, and he immediately perked up. “Yes, Sir. I’ll follow. Come Lady Brienne, we will pick up your friends.

The archer took the woman deep into the cave and Jaime was left alone in front of the leaders of the robbers.

“It cannot be. Noble Brynden Tully fell became bandit, what happened?” Perhaps it was worth keeping his mouth shut, but Jaime was not sure if that would change anything.

“You happened, Lannister.” The old knight shrugged. “You captured my castle, and I had to run.”

“So you told Brienne to bring me here. Do you want revenge?”

“No. That was not my decision. It was hers.” The Black Fish nodded at the woman.

There was silence in the cave for a few seconds, and then she threw back her hood. Her face was terrible - gray hair, white, in places, like rotten skin, terrible traces of nails on her cheeks, but worst of all were eyes, watery blue, without a drop of life. Yet Jaime recognized her. “Lady Catelyn.” He could not hold a shiver in his voice. “I thought you were dead.”

“She was dead.” Man in a yellow cloak answered. “But Lord Beric gave her a kiss of life, and she returned to this world.”

The woman raised her hand to her cut throat, to a terrible wound and croaked something.

“She said you didn't fulfill your oath, Lannister, and killed her son.” Translated the same henchman.

“I may not have fulfilled the oath, although I gave Lady Brienne a sword and a letter so that she could fulfill it for both of us, but I did not kill any of her sons.”

“The elder.” The man translated the next words of Catelyn Stark. “Lord Bolton your regards when he killed the King in the North.”

“I asked Lord Bolton to convey my regards to Robb Stark, but I did not expect him to give him that.” Jaime felt that a sad smile appeared on his lips. As it turns out, a few careless words can end sadly.

“Hang him.” This time there was no need to translate Stark’s words.

Jaime mentally managed to say goodbye to life, but then Sir Brynden spoke.

“Wait, Cat.” He laid a hand on his niece's shoulder. “Of course we can hang him, but they will give a good ransom for him, and we need the money.”

Catelyn Stark croaked an answer, and her henchman in a yellow cloak twitched to translate, but Black Fish only waved it off. “Shut up, Lim. I know Cat from birth, and I certainly understand what she wants to say better than you do.” Ending a deal with the uninvited assistant, Tally returned to the conversation. “Cat, I understand everything, but we need more money. Come on, I'll explain to you.”

They walked away, leaving Jaime to look at the cave, scared people along the walls and a few robbers. A few minutes later, a long-time archer appeared in the hall with Brienne and two men, in one of which, just a boy, Jaime recognized the former squire of Tyrion.

“Jaime.” Brienne also noticed him and even jerked in his direction, but was stopped by an archer and a rude shout from Lim.

“Wait, woman.” Lannister understood that if Brienne snooped on him, then she would be over. “Go away. And find Sansa Stark so that at least they cannot call you an oath-breaker.”

This time Brienne obeyed and left, but before she turned away, Jaime saw tears in her eyes.

The Black Fish and his dead niece returned quickly. Sir Brynden studied the prisoner for several seconds, and then nodded to something of his own. “You needn't be afraid for your life, Lannister. We will ask for a ransom for you. Not now, a little later, but if your family agrees to pay, then you can leave this place.”


	5. Daenerys I

The city burned; from afar, it seemed to her that every building of Meereen was engulfed in fire. However, when Drogon approached the city walls, Dany realized that fires did not affect most of the city, and the opposite seemed to her because the outskirts were burning. She felt anger slowly falling over her. Meereen was her city in which her people lived, and no one had the right to destroy it. She squeezed the sides of the dragon, directed it down, and fire fell on those who tried to storm the gate. The troops on the walls screamed, greeting her, and she involuntarily smiled. Turning her head, she saw a wall of dust on the horizon and again directed Drogon up, her khalasar will figure it out here, and she herself will check the situation on the sea, there were too many ships there.

However, at sea, the situation also was not as threatening as it seemed to her. The sails on the ships were different - black with a gold kraken and white with three Volantis elephants, and these ships fought each other, there was a battle on many decks. Dany hesitated for a few moments, and then directed Drogon to one of the white-sailing ships; the Volantians were definitely her enemies.

Flames spilled onto the deck, danced across the ship, forcing its crew to jump into the water. But the her joy lived shortly, a swarm of arrows rose from a nearby ship, and pain flared up in right shoulder. Felling the rider’s fear, Drogon made a sharp turn, unleashing flames on the ship from which the arrows had come, Dany’s hand unclenched, and only by a miracle, she managed to stay on the dragon’s back. The miracle, however, didn’t last long, arrows again rose from the neighboring ship. For a couple of seconds, Dany thought that everything was over, and she will die now, but between her and a deadly swarm, a cream-and-gold dragon appeared. Her Viserion flew past almost on its side, covering from the arrows not only Dany, but also his rider, a little man sitting in a strange, saddle-like construction.

“Watch out, Your Grace.” He shouted to her, and she nodded. “Let's get the biggest ship together.”

She nodded again and sent Drogon to the largest of the Volantian ships. Arrows whistled to the left, and then banged on the scales of Viserion. On the right, on the deck of the white-sailing ship, there was a battle, and the archers were not able to shoot. For a few seconds, the largest ship broke out in flames, and Dany and the so far unknown second rider led the dragons into the sky. Panic started on the white ships below, and some of them tried to turn around and go to sea.

“We must stop them.” Dany cried, and she and Drogon rushed down to draw on the water a line of the dragon fire, which the Volantian ships did not dare to cross and turned to the shore.

Sitting on the dragon’s back, she watched the Volantians surrender, and felt burning joy - she won, her city won, her people won...

“Your Grace.” A familiar voice interrupted the flow of thoughts. “You are injured, we better get down.”

Only after these words, Dany felt pain in her hand again. One glance at the shoulder pierced by the arrow was enough to make the young queen feel dizzy. It was necessary to go down, bandage the wound and find out how the battle on earth ended. She directed Drogon to the shore, hoping that she would have the strength to stay on him for the entire short flight.

She had enough strength, but with difficulty. Going down from the wing of Drogon to the land of Dany would have fallen if Sir Barristan hadn’t arrived just in time to catch her.

“’Your Grace.” In the voice of her white knight, relief was heard. “I was so worried about you, I'm glad that you are back.”

“Me too, Sir Barristan, tell me what's wrong with the city.” Legs did not hold Dany, and the wounded shoulder was feeling as if pierced with a knife over and over again. But she was the queen, and the queen is first of all obliged to think about her people.

“I propose we can talk about the city a little later.” The second rider was not just short, he was a dwarf, and for a split second, it made Dany feel bitterness. “It is urgent to tackle the queen’s wound, and it would be nice for you, Sir Barristan, to follow the Greyjoys, and see that they would not sunk the Volantians before they get to the shore.”

“You could watch it yourself.” The white knight carefully helped the queen to sit down and called for one of his boy knights. “Find the Blue Graces, say the queen is wounded.”

“Come on, Sir.” Dany felt that her knight hesitates, never wanting to leave her. “Nothing threatens me here.”

“Good, Your Grace.” Sir Barristan bowed his head, cast a gloomy look at the little rider and went away to deal with the Volantians.

“Your Grace.” A young Blue Grace, rustling the floors of a turner, came literally in a minute. “My lord.”

“Queen is wounded, it is necessary to take care of her shoulder.” The second rider gave orders very confidently, forcing her to think that this was not new to him.”

“It will be very painful, my lord.” Realizing that queen does not react in any way, grace switched to the one who gave the orders. “It is necessary to pull out the arrow, rinse and treat the wound, bandage it, it would be better to do all this in the great pyramid.”

“I am not going to pyramid. There is no time for this.” Dany couldn’t leave her people now. “Pull out the arrow and bandage the wound, the rest you’ll do later.

The priestess did not obey right away; at first, she cast a timid glance at the dwarf and, only when he nodded, turned back to Dany. “It will be very painful, Your Grace.”

“Queen will have to be patient.” Smiled this strange little man, whom her people obeyed more than her. “And I can entertain Her Grace with a couple of stories.”

“It would be better if you introduced yourself.” She grimaced as grace’s fingers touched her shoulder.

“I apologize. I thought Your Grace already recognized me.” The dwarf smiled again. “I'm Tyrion Lannister.”

“Lannister?” Dany threw herself up, but the next moment a terrible pain pierced her shoulder, and she almost fell back to the stone.

“Yes, Lannister.” Her interlocutor calmly responded when the pain receded, and grace began to wash the wound. “But I dare say, I managed to harm my precious family pretty much.”

“And in what way?” She was sure that she should hate this man, but she could not hate the one who saved her life today.

“I killed my father, Lord Tywin Lannister.” Tyrion said it quite calmly, but when he saw her reaction, he added. “Believe me, my queen; I had serious reasons for that.”

“The kin slayers are cursed.” Dany did not know what else could be said. On one hand, the one standing in front of her killed a man who gave an order to kill her nephews, but on the other hand, having done this, he became a father slayer.

“Damned.” Again agreed Lannister.

Silence reigned for a while; grace finished washing the queen's wound and began to bandage it with a clean white cloth.

“How could you saddle Viserion?” Dany's eyes caught on the cream dragon, now calmly curled up on the ground. “And how did you get into my city?”

“Viserion himself found me.” Tyrion Lannister also looked at the dragon. “You could even say that it was not I who saddled him, but he took me as a rider. Sir Barristan promised to tell how I why dragon liked me so much, but there was no time.” Lannister looked to Dany again, and she noticed that the eyes of the dwarf were of different colors. “And the story of how I got to this city is very long and very sad.

“And yet, I want to listen.” Dany felt that she was beginning to sympathize with this man. At the same moment, grace finished bandaging her shoulder and bowing, left.

“Good. Only I will tell the abridged version, otherwise the story runs the risk of dragging on until the evening.” He grinned. “It all started with the fact that my nephew was poisoned at his own wedding. My sister blamed me for this, and I had to run so as not to go to the Wall or have my head cut off. Then I went to the magister Mopatis, who persuaded me to go to Queen of Meereen. I agreed, and traveled for a while, first with the magister himself, and later with the mercenaries. We were heading here, but in Volantis, I was captured by Jorah Mormont and had to go to Meereen another way. Along the way, we fell into slavery, and I had to be a jester to one of the wise masters, I even came out before Your Grace, before you flew away on a dragon, I sat on a pig then.

“So you were one of those dwarfs that they wanted to feed to lions?” Asked Dany. “And who was the second one?”

“Yes, I was there. Imagine how funny it would be if a lion ate Lannister. Almost as if Stark had been bitten by a wolf, and Baratheon was gored by a deer.” He shrugged. “And the second was Penny, my companion and a good girl, but she died during the battle with wise masters.”

“The masters has done too much harm.” Dany answered to the last sentence. “But they will never rule this bay again.”

“Why the Bay want masters, when they have a queen?” Slightly sadly asked Lannister.

He probably wants to go Westeros as I did, and maybe even more, she decided, looking at such an unexpected ally. “The Bay will no longer have a queen.” She smiled. “As soon as my ships are ready, we will go to Westeros. Dragons do not plant olives and my place is there, not hear.”

“And what will happen to the inhabitants of the Bay?” Lannister raised an eyebrow.

“As rulers I will leave people who have already proven that they will take care of the welfare of the people.” Dany remembered Astapor and shook her head. “And if people cannot cope with freedom, then this will be their misfortune. I cannot teach everyone to be free.”

“Words worthy of a queen.” Lannister grinned, and Dany could not understand what was in his words - approval or ridicule.

“Khalisi.” An unexpected voice burst into their dialogue, and Dany raised her head. Her bear has grown older since their last meeting, there were new wrinkles on her forehead, and an ugly stigma, a sign of a slave, appeared on her cheek. “Khalisi, I ...”

“Sir, I forbade you to return to the city.” Dany was not sure in what she was saying, rather, she was even sure that she should say the opposite, but he had to admit his betrayal.

My Queen, listen. Of course, I cannot judge for you, but it seems to me that Sir Jorah deserved forgiveness.” Tyrion Lannister considered it possible to speak instead of her bewildered bear. “He strove for you with all his might, he was ready to do anything for your sake, even drove me as a gift to you. I am sure that he long ago repented of his betrayal and, perhaps, deserved a second chance.”

“Yes, Khalisi.” Mormont hastily agreed with the dwarf. “What I did is unforgivable and I would like to atone for this act by serving you.”

Dany did not like the words. They were too bright, too beautiful, too ... insincere, but she missed her bear and maybe, if all that Lannister said was true, he really deserved a second chance. “Good. Everyone deserves a second chance. You can return to my service, Sir Jorah, and become one of my white knights.” She wanted to be sure that Mormont’s stupid jealousy would never stand between them again and decided to take action.

“I will be honored, Khalisi.” The knight answered with a slight stammer, and Tyrion Lannister grinned behind him, probably understood the reasons for her act.

“My queen.” Sir Barristan came back very handy, saving Daenerys from talking to Mormont right now. “The entire fleet of Volantis surrendered, many ships are quite suitable for long voyages.”

“So do we have a fleet now?” With a curious smile asked Lannister. “And we can go to Westeros and at the same time look for Rhaegal.”

“Yes. As soon as the sails are repainted and the damaged ships are brought into proper form.” Sir Barristan nodded. “But I would like to know what to do with the captured Volantians.”

“They need to be sacrificed to R'hllor and the Drowned God.” Dany never heard the voice that made such a ... unpleasant offer. It belonged to a tall, black-haired man with a kraken embroidered on a camisole, a symbol of the Greyjoy house.

“This is Victarion Greyjoy, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet.” Lannister once again tried to smooth out an unpleasant situation. “He happens to be a little, mmm - severe with enemies, but he is an invaluable ally. He helped us defeat the Yunkai army, and today's battle without his ships would have been lost even before your triumphant appearance.

“I ... I'm glad.” Dany painfully tried to smile. “I am ready to provide any help to the allies, but have do it without sacrifices.”

“I sailed here to make you my wife.” Proudly proclaimed captain in response.

The meaning of his words did not reach her immediately, however, it seemed that not only she was struck, sir Barristan looked dumbfounded, Jorah Mormont was gloomy, and even Lannister was bewildered.

However, it was he, who was the first to speak. “Yeah, when I promised the queen’s support, I didn’t count on that.” He muttered. “Although I should have.”

“Uh, Lord Captain, I'm not going to get married again yet.” Dany tried to choose the words as carefully as possible. “But, perhaps, I can somehow help you without such drastic steps.”

Lord Greyjoy gave her a long, grim look. “My brother wants to marry you and sit on the Iron Throne, and I vowed to take his wife to me as he took mine.”

She exhaled mentally, everything was not as scary as she imagined. “I swear to you that I will never marry your brother, and you, if you want, can say that I do this because of you.”

“Good.” After some deliberation, the Lord Captain agreed. “But you must also promise me that you will give me the head of Euron.”

“If he fights against me, he will die.” She promised solemnly and again turned to her white knight, talking about marriage reminded her of the people whose fate was connected with her. “Sir Barristan, tell me where my husband is.” Moreover, why isn’t Daario here?

“I'm sorry, my queen, but they are dead.” He answered kneeling. “Captain Daario Naharis was executed by the Yunkays ...”

“After which the Stormcrows disappeared forever from Meereen.” Muttered Lannister.

“And your noble husband died because of the betrayal of Skahaz mo Kandaq.”

“When we found his corpse after the battle, Sir Barristan wanted to go into voluntary exile.” The dwarf again. “I had to dissuade him.”

“Daario is dead and Hizdahr too?” Dany froze, trying to understand what she was feeling. The death of Hizdahr zo Loraq, no matter how cruel it was, caused in her only joy that she was free again, but Daario ... Her blue-eyed mercenary. Did she love him? Dany could not give a definite answer to this question, but the news of his death settled in the tongue with a bitter aftertaste. Be that as it may, but she will miss Daario Naharis.

“Are you all right, Your Grace?” The Lord Commander of her White Guard cautiously inquired, interrupting a series of sad thoughts.

“Yes.” She nodded. “What happened to the traitor?”

“He is executed.”

“Good.” Dany nodded again. “Get up, sir. You are not to blame for anything, and I am grateful to you for holding the city.”

“It is not my merit, Your Grace.” The white knight rose. “The traitor was realized by Lord Tyrion. “And it was he who ensured peace in the city, finding the Harpy.”

“It was easy.” The little lord smiled. “After I found out about Harpy, and this mo Kandaq shared some information, that green priestess became an obvious candidate.”

“Galazza Galare?” Another piece of news that was hard to believe. “She's the last person I would suspect.”

“She counted on it.” Lannister shrugged.

“Your Grace.” Sir Barristan decided to complete what he started. “I ask you to relieve me of my position as Hand of the queen. I am not suitable for it. I do not know how to lie and pretend, and I do not always see when others do it. You need another Hand that can help you in managing the country.”

“And who it can be?” She was sorry that the old knight would no longer be her first adviser, but she acknowledged the truth of his words.

“Lord Tyrion.”

“Is he?” Dany looked in amazement at the little man. “But he is Lannister.”

“Do you suggest me?” In one voice with her said Tyrion. “I didn’t expect such an offer from you, Selmy. I'm a traitor and a kin slayer.”

“Is it only the family name that matters?” Sir Barristan decided to ignore the dwarf. “And besides, Your Grace, I have reason to believe that Lord Tyrion is not exactly Lannister. Do you remember, I told you that in your father youth, Lady Joanna from house Lannister carried him away? After lady became the wife of Lord Tywin, she left the capital and saw the king only once, during the tournament in Lannisport, shortly before Lord Tyrion was born.

“So you want to say that I can be the son of the Mad King.” Apparently, Lannister was surprised a little less than Dany, as he was able to formulate his thoughts relatively clearly.

“Yes it is possible.” Sir Barristan nodded. “I thought about it when Viserion chose you.”

It is perfect.” Tyrion sat down on a stone next to Dany. “Great news. So now I’m not a father slayer, but a bastard, well, a queen’s brother, even two queens. Nice to meet you, sister.”

“Me too.” Finally, Dany was able to squeeze out. “Sir Barristan, are you sure? This is such news...

“I can’t be sure; everyone who could confirm my words is dead.” The knight shook his head sadly. “But on the other hand, this explains why the dragon chose Lord Tyrion from all those who were on the field.”

“Always wanted to be a lost prince.” Muttered her newfound brother. “But I never thought I would become a bastard. It turns out I'm Hill now, not Lannister, funny, if you think.”

“Well, I don’t think so.” Dany stood up decisively. “You still can be Lannister. I am queen, and I can legitimize any bastard with my decree, no matter how strange it sounds. When I conquer the Seven Kingdoms, I will need the lord of the Western lands faithful to me.”

“My honor of being one.” Smiled Lord Tyrion.

“Good.” Dany nodded. “Then I appoint you my Hand, Tyrion Lannister.”

“It is a great honor, my queen.” The little lord knelt, but then could not stand it and, looked up and winked at her. “Sister.”

“Perfect.” She also involuntarily cheered. “Get up. We urgently need to paint the sails, Westeros is waiting for us.”


	6. Jon II "King of the North"

It was cold in the tent, despite the firepan with still hot coals. The candle on the table almost burned out, and a tiny cinder gave almost no light. Jon was looking at the map on the table and thinking about the upcoming battle. The wildlings and some houses of the North supported him, but he understood that they wouldn’t take Winterfell by storm, only by cunning his scattered army could defeat those who were inside the walls of the castle. Jon had to hope that the plan he devised would work and the wildlings could open the gate.

The tent canopy leaned back and the omnipresent Tormund looked inside. “Have you come up with a new plan, Snow, or do you decide to trust my people?”

“I made up my mind long ago, Tormund.” Jon shook his head. “But the risk of being discovered is too great.”

“Har. Do you really think that risk is great?” Tormund grinned. “Your southern lords do not see anything further than their own nose.”

“Tormund.” Jon could as well continue the conversation in a similar spirit, but there was no point in this. “Have you come to argue or there are news?”

“There are some.” The wildling grunted. “A storm is gathering, if tomorrow by noon we don’t take your castle, then we will perish.”

“I will take this into account.” Jon assumed something like that, but there was no difference. If they do not defeat the Boltons tomorrow, they will die anyway. “Is there anything else?”

“Yes. Oure scouts had a good day. Firstly, they found an old man and two girls in the snow, and then came across a large detachment, they were going to deal with them, but among the scouts was a spear-wife, a lively girl. She was able to convince your southerners that we were not raiding here. Now the head of this detachment wants to talk with you, and one of the girls who came with the old man, too.”

“Then first I’ll talk with the commander. Let’s learn what he needs from us.”

“As you say.” Tormund again threw back the canopy and called those who were outside. A gust of icy wind blew on Jon, and he changed his mind.

“Let them all come in together, Tormund. It is not good to make the old man and girls wait in such a frost, and in the tent it is a little bit warmer.”

“Have you heard? Come in you all. And you, old man, don't stand, come in too and get warm.”

There were four people. One tall man in furs with dark hair, with a cloak clasp in the shape of a Glover’s fist looked decent enough, but both the girls and the old man ... Jon was surprised that they could survive at all; their clothes looked very unreliable and not warm enough.

“My lords, my ladies.” Jon rose from the table. “I'm Jon Snow. The former Lord Commander of the Night Watch. I would like to know what brought you to us.”

After his words, Jon expected indignation, accusations of betrayal and violation of the oath, but the northerner said nothing of this. “Are you the son of Eddard Stark?” He asked somewhat incredulously. Jon nodded dryly, and a smile appeared on northerner face. “I'm Robett Glover, I will be glad to place my unit at the disposal of the heir to the King of the North.”

“I'm glad, my lord.” Jon looked at Lord Glover with some surprise and interest. “But I can't be Robb's heir.” Brother’s name caused no emotions, but Jon had already come to terms with their almost complete absence. “If we believe Lord Davos, my younger brother is alive and it is he who is now Robb's heir.”

“Davos Seaworth?” Lord raised his eyebrows. “Is he alive? We thought he died, as did the wildling that accompanied the young lord.”

“No, he survived and informed me of what happened.” Jon was glad that the issue of the inheritance was closed; he did not want to raise it now. “But I wonder how you found out.”

“I have the opportunity to communicate with Lord Manderly, and he knows about everything that happens inside the castle.”

“Good ...” Jon said slowly, feeling that maybe have found the opportunity to take the castle without the help of the climbers. “Will Lord Manderly be equally glad to provide his people to me?”

“Yes, but it's impossible.” Northerner frowned. “They are in the castle.”

“Of course, and if they open the gate at the right time, they will greatly help us.”

“They can open the gate. The lord agreed slowly. And then all who are still faithful to the crown of the north will turn their weapons against Bolton and his allies.”

“Yes, my lord.” Jon nodded. “When my army approaches the walls of Winterfell, the gates have to open. Pass it on. And the fact that it is necessary to protect my younger brother and sister.”

“Yes, my lord.” Glover looked very pleased when he went out, and Jon had a strong feeling that he himself done nothing more than participated in someone’s plan, gave it due completeness. But in truth even if this was so, Jon was no offended. It was no matter what figure he was in this game, the main thing was to return Rickon and Arya.

“So you will take the castle by storm.” One of the girls gave a voice - a beautiful, black-haired one, she held herself with self-esteem, even in this situation. Her companions did not resemble her at all, the skinny frightened old man tried to stay away from Jon, and the girl with brown hair was constantly sobbing. “The fire king did not succeed; do you think you will?”

“Perhaps, milady...”

“Asha. Asha Greyjoy.” Islander raised her head.

“Milady Asha.” Jon finished, paying no attention to the family name, now it was not important. “I may succeed, or perhaps not, but I must try to save my brother and sister.”

“Your sister is not there. My brother pulled her out of the castle, and I had to lead her here.”

“What? Is she Arya?” Jon looked at the sobbing girl and did not believe. He could not remember her, but he was sure that this was not his little sister. Arya would not cry and would surely rush to him, only appearing in the tent, and would not hide in a dark corner. He stepped towards the girl and carefully lifted her face; tear-stained eyes looked at him - brown not gray. “She's not Arya.” Jon released the girl and looked at the iron-born. I do not know whom you wanted to pass off as my sister, but you did not succeed.

“I wanted?” The lady snapped up. “I have been dragging this useless, always crying girl, for so long, just because I thought I was saving Stark's daughter, who could be useful!”

Jon indifferently waited for the end of her flash. “Perhaps it was so, but why should I believe you?”

“She didn't know, Jon, I lied to her.”

The old man spoke quietly, but Jon recognized his voice. Once upon a time, when his father was still alive, and everything was safe in the Stark house, one boy was talking this way. A host of his father and friend of Robb, who betrayed them both. “Theon.” Jon turned around sharply, feeling a faint reflection of sense; even not understanding which one. “And whom have you brought to my camp?”

“This is Jeyne, Jeyne Poole. She married instead of your sister, but she was never Arya, she has the wrong eyes, you need to remember your name.”

“Wonderful.” Asha snorted, listening to her brother’s speech, which seemed to Jon more like rave. “And what do we do with this Poole now? She is not worth a ship to the Iron Islands.

“I'll just give it to you if we win tomorrow.” Jon answered Asha, but did not take his eyes off frightened Jeyne. Now he remembered the girl. Once she was Sansa's best friend, she dreamed of taking Arya's place. Well, as he could see, the girl’s desire came true, but not in the way, she imagined.

“Great.” The islander exhaled. “My brother and I need to get home as soon as possible.”

“Your brother has committed a crime.”

“But he did not kill your brothers.” She outraged. “They fled from him.”

“He killed a lot of people even if they were not my brothers.” Jon shrugged. There is one punishment for the murder.” He was not going to execute Greyjoy, just wanted to see his reaction, perhaps to understand how much he repents, but suddenly a completely different person answered.

“No!” Jeyne spoke for the first time since she entered the tent. “No! Don’t execute him! No, no! He must not be blamed for anything! He saved me! We flew away!

“Keep quiet.” responded Asha evilly. “If you were Arya, your words would mean something, but...”

“From whom did he save you?” Jon frowned slightly. He understood why his sister would have run away from the Boltons, but this girl. She was given the opportunity to be Lady of Winterfell, something that she dreamed of. Why would she run away?

“From milord.” The girl burst into tears. “He, he ...” The rest of the phrase completely drowned in tears.

“It is useless.” Asha seemed to understand Jon's difficulties. “I tried to inquire about this Bolton, but they don't answer. She cries, and he mutters some kind of nonsense.”

“Perhaps I will not rush with execution.” Jon looked again at Theon, in whose entire pose some kind of clogging was read. “You have a chance to redeem what you did. To save people. Say what we can expect from the Boltons.”

“Lord Roose is very careful; he will sit behind the walls of the castle, and forward will send Manderly and others whom he does not trust. But milord, he, he...” Theon's voice trembled. “He will come up with a trap.”

“Or fall into ours.” Jon nodded. “In any case, if Lord Rousse commands, then we have few chances.”

“Then we can only hope that he will not command.” Asha grinned.

“You're right. The three of you have a tent and hot food. Tell any of the free folk that this is my request.

“Jeyne has broken her ribs.” Theon spoke unexpectedly and much more decisively than before. “She needs to go to the maester.”

“I don’t have a maester. But perhaps you will find some healer; it is also worth asking about them.”

“The battle will be tomorrow?” Asha already threw back the canopy of the tent with her hand, but turned around.

“Yes.” Jon nodded, thinking more about the fact that the candle would soon go out completely than about the girl and the battle.

“Can I participate in it?”

“If you want to.” With some surprise, he looked at the interlocutor. “Each blade is useful to me, but you may die.”

“It is better to die tomorrow in a battle than to try to survive in these snows again.”

“As you wish. Do you have a weapon?”

“Only a dagger.” She frowned. “The sword disappeared in battle.”

“Then ask Tormund, the loud white-bearded mam that brought you here. And call him here.”

“As you say, commander.” She coddled, after which, finally, left the tent.

Tormund appeared somewhere a minute later, probably was settling problems with Asha’s weapons and the settlement of unexpected guests. “What do you need, Snow?” Wildling asked grimly. “I really hoped that I got rid of you until the morning, and was going to enjoy a delicious mutton.”

“It won’t be so easy to get rid of me.” The expression on the wildling’s face caused a tiny spark of fun, showing Jon that he did not lose his emotions completely. “We must once again collect all the commanders. Our plan has changed.” It was this moment that the cinder of the candle chose to die out. “And change the candle; otherwise we will have to examine the map by touch.”

***

Morning was gray. The clouds, which began to accumulate on the horizon in the evening, now reached Winterfell, and in the distance, heavy, dark gray, snow-swollen clouds piled up. An unexpected thaw ended, a blizzard was gathering.

Jon stopped examining the sky and turned to his army. About two thousand wildlings, some of which are spire-wives, people of Mormont, tenns, who came under the order of the new Lord of Karhold, mountain clans that nailed to his army after the defeat of Stannis, even four giants and a mammoth. A large army, but scattered: the northerners suspiciously look at the wildlings, and the free folk do not want to obey orders. This army cannot stand against the troops of the northern lords in the field, and won’t take Winterfell by storming it.

Jon squeezed his right hand. Waiting further, made no sense. Until his army approaches the gate, they will not open. He turned the horse around and returned to his commanders.

“Well, are we starting?” Alysane Mormont asked. “In a few hours, the storm will begin.”

“If everything goes according to plan, then we will be in the castle long before the storm, and if not, then for the most it will be all the same.” He carefully examined the serious bear. “Is Asha Greyjoy with you?”

“Yes. I always liked this girl.” Alysane nodded. “She is not like her brother.”

“I think they have more in common than they seem.” Jon grinned, remembering the young Theon. “And look after the girl; probably she is our chance for peace with the islands.”

“Girls, girls.” Muttered Tormund, who had been surprisingly quiet before. “This, of course, is good, but maybe we will finally begin the battle?”

“Yes.” Jon nodded. “Let’s begin, Tormund.”

They parted in their own units, and as soon as Jon took his place among the people of Robert Glover, there was a formidable roar of weapons, and the wildlings went on the attack. Following them, with a small interval, the mountain clans moved forward, and then it was their turn.

Of course, they were far from knightly cavalry, but it was even good. Knightly cavalry would be useless in deep snow, and attacking the walls with cavalry was completely stupid. And it was precisely this feeling that Jon wanted. Let those who command the castle consider him a fool, or decide that the conflicts in the combined army are so strong that a frontal attack became the only possible action. Let it go. The longer the enemy commander stays astray, the more time Lord Manderly’s people will have, and the longer the free folk will not die under arrows.

The first avalanche of arrows hit the wildlings when they reached the locked gate and clumsily awkwardly stood beside them. When Jon saw this, something inside him broke off, has he again made a mistake, trusted in someone whom he should not have trusted. Is he going to see the death of the people who followed him...

The wildlings repelled the first wave of arrows, raising their shields, and the next moment the gates creaked and began to open slowly. It seems that at that moment, he again remembered how to breathe, Lord Glover kept his promise, and the gate were open.

Mountain clan fighters overcame the gates just a few moments later than the wildlings, and a few seconds later the equestrians reached the gates. Horses had to be released, there was little sense from them in the courtyard and Jon jumped from his horse taken from the Night Watch, and was the first from the horse squad to enter his castle.

There was a massacre in the yard. People with the arms of Amber, Manderly, Hornwood and other northern houses fought with people with the arms of Bolton and Frey. The invaders defended themselves fiercely, but there were fewer and they were taken by surprise by Manderly's betrayal. Jon laid bare the Long Claw and moved forward, his task was to overcome the yard, find his brother and make sure that everything was fine with him. However, apparently, those around him did not agree with him, the soldiers of Frey and Bolton attacked him at the same time. He was able to dodge the blow of one and Long Claw took the blade of the other to the side. At that very moment, one of the Manderly knights pierced the man with a spear, and Jon was left with only Bolton. They exchanged a couple of shots, and then Jon managed a fraudulent movement, the enemy fell forward and Jon finished a short fight.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one else attacked him, Jon looked up and saw a man pulling a small, abutting figure along the stairs leading to the walls of Winterfell. It might have been someone else, but Jon could not help feeling that he was seeing Rickon. He could not be sure that this was actually his brother, and some unusually unpleasant intuition said that he would not recognize Rickon, even if he could properly see him. However, it was necessary to check. He hurried across the courtyard, but three more times was forced to defend himself from the enemy soldiers, and when he finally reached the stairs, the man with the child was no longer visible. Jon did not dare to run up the stairs. It was still not good idea to get tired during the ascent and to be killed or wounded. He did not want to experience this a second time in a few weeks.

The rise seemed to him infinitely long; somewhere inside a feeling settled that he was late, although Jon did not understand where. The first thing that met on the wall was a gust of wind, which almost was not feeling below, but was clearly felt here. The second was a half-mad cry. “Stay where you are stnding, otherwise I’ll cut the boy’s throat!

A man, wrapped in a furry cloak, characteristic of the ugly Bolton’s pink, shouted. In one hand, he was clutching a large butcher knife, and with the other was holding a little red-haired boy, desperate to escape.

He must have be Ramsay Bolton Jon thought stopping distantly. His father should look older, and Jon did not know any other Boltons. The boy probably was Rickon. Jon could not have said this with certainty, even if everything had been in order with his memory. When he last saw his brother, he was barely three, now Rickon should be six, and he could change a lot.

“Who are you?" Bolton tried to look menacing, but it turned out badly. Apparently, he was afraid of a trap into which he himself climbed for some reason.

“Jon Snow.” He shrugged and took another step forward. Now it would be better to remove the sword, but it could alert Bolton.

“Yeah, great.” It was not clear what this maniac was delighted with. “Then you will provide me with the opportunity to get out of the castle if you do not want to watch your brother die.”

“And if I do, will I get my brother back?” Jon was not too sure that the northerners would be able to persuade to let this out the gate, but it was worth a try.

“And that's stays to my wish.” The alleged Ramsey giggled vilely. “If your brother will be staying in Dreadfort, then you will never touch me.”

The answer was obvious, and Jon no longer saw the point of negotiating; now all that was needed was to figure out how to remove Bolton away from Rickon or, at least, remove the sword so that it was possible to get throwing knives. The idea of how to do both appeared quickly, of course, he wasn’t sure that this abnormal would agree to take another hostage, but he could try. Jon was about to make his suggestion, as the sound of steps was heard very close on the stairs.

“So this is how it is?” Bolton squealed. “Well, get it!” The movement of a hand with a knife turned out to be swift, and the next second Rickon’s throat was crossed by a red stripe. All Jon managed to see was horror in the boy’s eyes, and then the killer pushed a small body down from the wall and turned around. Perhaps he was about to jump, but hesitated in indecision, or perhaps just wanted to enjoy the work of his hands, but he gave Jon a chance. Filling a void in his heart, again not pierced by any emotion, he stepped forward and struck. Anyone else in his place probably would not deny himself the pleasure of killing the enemy, but Jon struck the killer’s temple with the hilt of his sword.

The wildlings appeared almost immediately. Tormund and a few more people. For a while, nothing happened behind him, and then Tormund went up to him and looked down from the walls of Winterfell.

“We won, Snow.” Pleasure was heard in his voice.

“Not really.” Jon looked down at his brother's body, at the snow stained with his blood, and tried to understand who he was, if instead of bitterness and pain he felt only a faint sorrow. “Do you see the boy? This is my brother, Rickon Stark.”

“He is red-haired. Kissed by the fire.” Quietly answered Tormund.

“Don’t you think that lately too many redheads began to die. Can happiness now be in death?”

“When the dead get up - everything is possible.” Agreed Tormund. “At least they are not threatened with becoming whites.”

“If we take care to burn the bodies.” Jon, finally, was able to tear his eyes from a tiny little body. “Let's go, we will definitely have time to be sad. And now we need to deal with the lords and drive them along with the retinues from the castle.”

“And what to do with him?” One of the wildlings kicked still unconscious Bolton.

“Put him in prison. I will deal with him later.”

***

It was hot in the big chamber. Lords and people from their retinue occupied all the benches along the large feast tables. In the great hall of Winterfell, the liberation of the North was celebrated and tributes were paid. Jon sat at a high table surrounded by lords and ladies, listened to the words they spoke, and did not hear. Today, for the first time in three years, he saw someone from his family - little Rickon, who was only three on the day of his departure. He saw the boy and immediately lost, could not save, and what was most terrible, did not even feel anything. What a monster would feel nothing seeing horror in the eyes of a child...

“My lords.” The loud voice of Lord Manderly was able to tear Jon out of the web of his own thoughts. “Today many cups were raised for the winners and more than once we remembered those who died at the hands of Boltons. But it seems to me that the time has come to solve a much more important question - what will happen to the North now. The Iron Throne the lions sitting on it placed the traitors Bolton above us and I believe strongly that after everything that happened, we cannot swear to them. The North needs its own king...

“Rickon is dead.” Jon did not quite understand why he was talking, but felt that it was necessary. “Bran, Sansa, and Arya are gone, and perhaps also dead. House Stark is dead. Who do you want to make a king, Lord Manderly? Yourself?”

Fat lord instantly turned pale, probably believing that Jon blamed him for the death of Rickon. Jon did not blame, but he did not want to listen how the king would be chosen here. This title belonged to Robb and his heirs, and now they were gone.

“Of course not.” Manderly wiped his forehead with a wide palm. “Of course not. Moreover, the Young Wolf managed to appoint an heir before his death.”

“My brother was one of those who was supposed to deliver him to the North.” Now Robett Glover stood. “But he and Lady Maege Mormont were forced to linger in Greywater. However, he sent me a raven and indicated the one whom Young Wolf had appointed as heir.”

“And whom was it?” Jon asked, realizing that he knows the answer. Well, it was not for nothing that Glover called him the heir to the King of the North.

“His stepbrother Jon Snow. The king also recognized his brother Stark and hoped that the Night Watch would find an opportunity to free him from his oath.”

Therefore, that’s why he wasn’t accused of desertion, Jon thought, looking at the lords. Robb gave him a crown, a family name, and freedom from oaths. Everything that he wanted so much, well, maybe except for a crown, and now everything of it seemed unimportant.

“I can't accept Stark’s name without Robb’s decree. I would not want to give a reason for blaming me of misappropriation of a family name.”

Lords laughed with restraint, and Manderly spoke again. “Then you should wait for Lord Howland Reed or Lady Maege and Lord Galbart.” However, you can accept the crown from our hands. The Lords of the North have made your brother king, and now they want to see you as king.

Jon looked around the room and smiled slightly. “I will, but on one condition. The Lords of the North will have to obey my orders and never try to blame the king for telling tales.”

“Well.” Manderly squinted slightly. “We do not have much strength, but we can allocate warriors to defend the Wall. Only on condition that the king does not force them to take a vow of Night Watch.”

“I agree.” For the first time since he woke up at Black Castle, Jon really smiled.

“Then, for the King of the North!” Cried out Manderly.

“For the King of the North! King of the North! King of the North!” Spread around the room.


	7. Theon I

Jeyne wasn’t crying. For the first time since her return to the North, she wasn’t crying, she only lay wrapped in a blanket and clasped her thin fingers.

“Will she be all right?” Theon carefully asked the maester. Talking with people like that was still hard for him.

“I'm afraid the young lady will no longer be able to give birth to a child.” Voice of the maester was surprisingly soft. “But she herself is fine and will recover soon.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, in both statements.” Maester smiled politely. “Unfortunately, I have to go, I have other responsibilities.”

“Yes. Theon nodded carefully. Pass my thanks to king.”

“I think you can do it yourself.” Another smile and the maester left the room.

“Jeyne, are you okay?” Theon crouched on the edge of the bed. “I am very sorry that the child...”

“Are you?” She asked in a whisper. “No, that’s good, it was HIS baby, I just couldn’t live with it.”

Jeyne lost child yesterday. While they were hiding in the snow near Winterfell, while they were trying to survive, everything was fine, but when they returned to the now safe Winterfell under the protection of a man whom Jayne was not afraid of, she suffered a miscarriage. The king sent one of the masters, and he managed to save Jayne’s life, but she could no longer have children.

“And the fact that you will no longer have children.” He cautiously ran a hand through the girl's gray hair. “I…”

“No.” She unexpectedly turned and grabbed his hand. “It's good, it’s wonderful, wonderful. Nobody will need me anymore, do you understand? No one needs a barren wife. No one else will touch me.” And she laughed a sickly half-mad laugh.

“I need you Jayne. I need you.” Theon squeezed her small hand. “When you recover, I will take you to the Iron Islands.” If Jon allows it, he finished to himself, but he couldn’t say it out loud when he saw how her face lit up.

“Theon.” His sister's voice and a loud knock on the door sounded simultaneously. “Are you going or not?”

“I'm coming, Asha.” The calm that he experienced while talking with Jayne evaporated. He absolutely did not want to go where his sister called him, but she knew how to insist on her own.

“Make sure it's him.” Janie whispered to him, letting of his hand. “That he will never come again.”

“I promise.” He answered, although most of all he wanted to stay here, never go out, never see the scornful glances of the northern lords. Moreover, the most important thing was not seeing HIM, and that HE does not see Theon. It seemed to Theon that if milord only looked at him everything would return and he again...

“Theon!” Asha knocked on the door again. “Let’s go or we will be late.

“I'm coming.” He threw last look at Jayne and, gathering all his strength, he was able to leave.

“Great”. Asha grabbed his elbow and dragged him downstairs. “After the execution is completed, I will need to talk with this new king. He promised to give us a ship. Do you know how to talk to him?”

“I have not seen him for more than three years.” Theon tried to dissuade.

“But you grew up together.” Sister did not succumb to cunning. “Tell me.”

“Jon hate liars. You should not offer him acts contrary to his honor.” Theon really tried to remember something else. “And he hate being reminded that he is a bastard.”

“Seriously?” His sister raised r eyebrows in amazement. “He refused to accept the name of the house.”

“Is it true? Although, I said, I have not seen him for a long time.”

“Let it be so.” Asha pulled him into the courtyard and led him between the people who cast slanting glances. “When I will speak with the king, you will stand by my side.”

“As you want.” Theon again resignedly agreed, although in reality he did not want to talk to Jon at all. Theon still remembered the words about the crime, and the way that Jayne begged not to execute him. Snow haven’t executed him, on the contrary, he was merciful, going against a part of his lords, but Theon was sure that in fact, Jon still hated him.

“Your grace.” “They finally got to the place allotted to him very close to the king.”

“Milady Asha.” Jon Snow's eyes were strange, as if covered with snow. “Theon, I did not expect to see you.”

“I persuaded him.” His sister answered with some pride.

“There is some degree of cruelty in you, my lady.” The king answered in an expressionless voice and turned away.

Asha's gaze became bewildered, and Theon unexpectedly thought of John not as a king, but as a man. He must have been feeling himself terribly now. Theon heard that milord killed little Rickon in front of his brother. John probably hated the killer.

People in the courtyard stirred and began to part, and a minute later, along the formed corridor to the gallows, which appeared here only yesterday, they conducted HIM. Seeing HIM, Theon involuntarily backed away, trying to take cover behind his sister and Jon.

“I suppose there is no need to list the accusations.” King’s voice sounded absolutely calm, without a drop of hatred. “But if someone wants to speak out before the verdict is announced, then he has such an opportunity.”

There was silence, the northerners were silently gloomy, milord looked around. When Theon dared to look at his face, he saw bewilderment, but the next second the ice color eyes were directed at him, and a triumph lighted in them.

“Reek! Kill this king.”

His hands trembled. Theon did not want to kill Jon; he realized that he owed his life to the young King of the North. Nevertheless, Reek sought to obey milord and fulfill his desire at all costs.

For a few seconds he stood with his hand on his dagger and experiencing a painful struggle with himself, until Jon spoke.

“Well, Theon, will you kill me or not? Just hurry up with the decision, I want to end all of this quickly.”

Theon. Yes, he is Theon, Theon Greyjoy. Son of Balon Greyjoy and heir to the Iron Islands. Jon remembers his name, and he must remember it. “No, John, I would not.” Theon resolutely slid the half-drawn blade into the scabbard.

“Great. It’ll save some time.” King turned to the wildlings who had led the milord and nodded shortly.

After a few minutes, everything ended. The people from yard began to disappear, leaving the gallows and the body on it.

“Your grace.” Asha’s voice was trembling; probably sister was still nervous because of the attempt that had not occurred. “May I talk with you?”

“Of course, my lady. But I suggest that we first to go to the castle. It is cold here and soon it will snow again.”

“We could talk while we are going.” Theon really wanted to get back to Jayne as soon as possible, tell her that HE would never come again.

“We can do this way.” Jon grinned by the corner of his lips. “About what you wanted to talk with me?”

“You promised to give me a ship that will take us to the Iron Islands.”

“Lord Manderly has a fleet; I think he can owe you one ship. Of course, this ship have to go back.

“I think after most of our ships went on the raid, it will easy.”

“Good.” King shrugged. “Do you want something else?”

“I want to take Jayne with me.” Theon decided.

“Are you mad?” Gasped Asha in response. “Nobody needs her there.”

“I need her.” Theon rested.

“If girl wants to go with you, then she can go. I cannot ban it. But perhaps it will be safer for her to stay in Winterfell and come to the Iron Islands when you figure out the results of your Kingsmoot.”

“I do not think so.” He hesitated. “Probably it’s worth asking her.”

“Then do it.” King shrugged indifferently and returned to the conversation with Asha. “If you want to go to the islands, then you have to join Lord Manderly. They are leaving in a few hours.”

Theon had not listen to further conversation, his sister will be able to take care of their return to home, and he should talk with Jayne.

She still lay wrapped in a blanket with her eyes closed, at first Theon even decided, that she was sleeping, but as soon as he took a step in the room, she opened her eyes.

“Theon.” Girl muttered with a smile. “You returned.”

“How could I leave without saying goodbye to you?” He sat next to her again. “We are leaving today with Lord Manderly. I thought that probably it would be better for you to stay here.

“No!” She was so scared that she sat in bed. “No, don't leave me!”

“I’m not leaving you, but it might be unsafe on the islands, and you will have to ride all way to White Harbor, and you still can’t ride a horse.”

“Is it really impossible to do anything?” She looked imploringly at him and touched the tip of her nose. It was no longer black, and maester said that it was not necessary to remove it, but Jayne said that she no longer felt it.

“Can anything be done?” Theon squeezed her hand, trying to come up with something comforting. A thought came to him unexpectedly and seemed like a ray of light, he even looked out the window, but everything was still covered in gray clouds there. “Maybe I can. Lord Manderly is too fat to ride a horse; he moves in a palanquin. Perhaps he will agree to let you in it.” Theon jumped up. Of course, Lord would not be glad to see him, but for the sake of Jayne, he was ready to tolerate universal scornful looks. “I'll be back soon, Jayne, and you will come with us.”


	8. Sansa I "Ladies don't cry"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Several month, in which guests from Essos reached Westeros, passed after the last chapter of Theon.

Raven came few minutes ago. Perhaps this was good, because after a few hours, father had to leave, and then the letter would not have come to him for a very long time. In this case, Alayne almost ran along the corridor in a hurry to deliver the letter to father quickly. There could be something important in the letter that could not wait until father returned.

However, when she reached his room, voices were heard from there, and she stopped, deciding to wait.

“Maintaining the attitude of the Lords is becoming increasingly difficult.” She heard the half-mocking voice of Lyn Corbray.

“And what do you want?” Father's voice was calm, but she distinguished notes of irritation in it. “I have already promised you a reward.”

“The same as to Eddard Stark?” Corbray asked, and the girl froze when she heard a familiar name.

“I hadn't promise anything to Stark.” He himself decided that I would help him.

“Haven’t you decided it would be better if he loose his head?” Horror pierced her after these words, either a cry or a groan escaped from her throat, but in horror, she clamped her mouth with her hands, afraid to give herself away.

“I thought that it would be more profitable.” Father agreed calmly, no, not father - Lord Baelish, confirming the terrible words a second earlier. “But it should not threaten you. After all, you are not going to put Stannis Baratheon on the throne.”

“It’ll be a problem to put the dead man on the throne. “The answer was in a laugh. “Well then, I will try to maintain the necessary mood among the Lords, but you will have to double the payment.”

“Let's decide it when you will have results.” Lord Protector called back.

Steps rang out, and Sansa, realizing that the conversation was over, grabbed her skirt and rushed away as far as possible from the door, which was about to open. A creak was heard literally a second before she, turning around the corner, pressed herself against the wall and clamped her mouth with her hands, praying that they would not see her.

Someone else's steps sounded along the corridor, but the man did not reach her shelter, turned into a side passage. She caught her breath and only then remembered the letter crumpled in her fist. No matter how she wanted to hide in her room, she will have to go out and hold the Lord Protector, and she cannot cry, someone will notice.

“Ladies don't cry.” She whispered and went to her room; it was necessary to change the dress and try to straighten the letter.

After a couple of hours, seeing off Lord Baelish, she held herself impeccably. There was not a tear in Sansa's eyes, although in fact she wanted to scream from the inner pain, Lord Baelish could be proud of his student.

“See you, Alayne. When I return, I will fulfill my promise.” He smiled, and she mentally wished him not to return.

“I'll wait. It was possible to lie, but Sansa did not find the strength to call him father. Carefully groping the hidden letter, she widened her eyes and hurriedly pulled it out. “I completely forgot, the raven brought you a letter.”

“Ah, Alayne.” He chuckled and shook his head. “With such a memory, you cannot become a good wife.” I’ve almost left, and there may be something important in the letter.

“I’m sorry.” Sansa lowered her eyes, hoping that there was nothing important in the letter.

“How can I not forgive my beloved daughter?” He smiled again and mounted his horse, and Sansa thanked the gods that he did not try to kiss her even as a daughter. She was cringing at the thought that the man who had killed her own father would touch her.

“Alayne.” Little Lord Robin tugged at her dress. “I want to listen about dragons.”

“What kind of dragons?” She inquired bewilderedly, dreaming only of getting to the room.

“About dragons of the Conquerors and about the king who flew.”

“Good, Robin.” She squeezed her teeth and reminded herself that she could not cry. Robin will soon become tired and then she finally gets to her room and be able to think about everything she heard today.

However, she reached the room only a few hours later, the boy did not want to fall asleep and forced her to tell almost everything that she knew about the Conquerors.

Only when the young Arryn fell asleep, she could get into her room, fall on the bed and burst into tears. Sansa's world collapsed in one second. Lord Baelish - the man who saved her from King's Landing and from aunt Lisa was the culprit of all the troubles that hit her family in these three years. For his own benefit, he sent her father to death. She trembled with tears when she again remembered the execution of Eddard Stark. Now father is dead, mother is dead, Robb, Bran, Rickon, Arya - they are all died. Only she remained, and somewhere far away, on the icy Wall, her half-brother, Jon. Sansa would run to him if she could. No matter how Jon treated her, she was sure that she would be better off with him than with the killer of her father.

But escape was impossible. Sansa alone would never have reached the Wall. She was just a stupid little lady, unable to survive alone. She also could not turn to the Lords, she wasn’t shuare that they will not give her away. No, she shouldn’t even think about her brother; she won’t get to him.

She won’t get out of this place at all. Only if someone does not save her. Maybe it will be Harry, she could even ask him for help, maybe lie something. She considered this thought for a few seconds, until she realized that the Lord Protector had promised her to be Harry's wife, so that even if the young Harding agreed to take her out of the Valley, he would make sure she came back, and he would be especially careful if she reveals her real name to him.

All was useless. Tears again surged from her eyes. She can't do anything. Ah, if Robb were alive, he would definitely save his stupid sister. Or maybe Hound. He kissed her on the night of the battle on Blackwater and offered to run with him, but she was too scared. If he had come up with such an offer now, she would have followed him without hesitation.

But he will not come. And Robb won't come. They are all dead and no one will save her. Sansa sat shivering and clasped her shoulders. She will find a way out, she will surely find it, but for now, she should pretend that everything is in order with her. She cannot let the Lords feel that something is wrong and tell Lord Baelish.

“Courtesy is the armor of a lady.” Sansa said the words of her mother, thought and added. “Ladies don't cry.”


	9. Daenerys II

Dark inhospitable sea, the shore covered with snow and sharp gusts of piercing wind, Westeros was meting her extremely warmly.

“Tyrion, are you sure we really needed to sail here?” Dany turned to her Hand, who with her watched how the Unsullied, islanders and a few Dothraki, who preferred not to stay in the distant warm Essos, were taking food and horses out of the ships.

“We decided it together, Your Grace.” Answered Lannister. After the battle of Meereen, he never called her sister again, and Dany did not know whether it pleased or upset her. “North is an inhospitable land, but we can find allies here.”

“I remember.” Dany sighed heavily. About the appearance of a man who called himself a saved Aegon, the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, she learned when her army took Volantis. There Tyrion told her about this young man, their journey together, and about the fact that he had not the most pleasant impression about him.

“Perhaps we should head to the North, Your Grace.” Her Hand told then. “Northerners separated from the Seven Kingdoms, chose the King of the North. If you manage to persuade them to swear allegiance, then from a conqueror you will turn into a true queen, reassembling her war-torn kingdom.”

Then the words of Tyrion seemed reasonable to her, and she gave the order to sail to the North. She was even more convinced of the correctness of her act when, on the way to the North, on one of the islands, they met tired and lost Rhaegal. Dragon tried to get to the North, while the magic of the horn still acted on him, and then could not figure out how to get home. Tyrion then suggested that perhaps there was someone with dragon blood in the North. But now, when she stood in a piercing wind, wrapping herself in an insufficiently warm coat, bought in Volantis, doubts about her own rightness arose in consciousness against her will.

“Dany.” Voice of her Hand pulled her out of her memories. “What are you thinking about?”

“About our reasons to sail here.”

“My queen, I'm sorry to interrupt the conversation.” Sir Barristan, like all of them, changed clothes to warmer ones, and now his white soft and extremely fluffy robe constantly reminded Dany of a snowdrift. “But we finished unloading the ships. I think it is necessary to allocate part of the Unsullied for reconnaissance, while the rest will set up camp.”

“Yes, that's a good idea.” Dany nodded. “And Tyrion and I could have explored further lines from the air.”

“I do not think that this is necessary.” Jorah Mormont never learned to keep his mouth shut and constantly tried to patronize Dany as if she were a little girl.

“What do you mean, Sir?” She asked coldly, feeling that she was starting to get angry.

“I lived here before, Khalisi.” He was the only one who still called her that way. “I can sketch you a map, without details, of course, but the location of castles and large villages I’m able to indicate.

“Do you also offer to get acquainted with the inhabitants of these castles on the maps?”

"Dany." Tyrion interrupted the stream of her indignation. “Perhaps, in this case, Jorah is right. We cannot risk you. Please understand, one arrow sent by a skilled archer, and our entire enterprise will become meaningless. We have enough people who can conduct reconnaissance.”

“Oh well.” Dany understood that he was right and that it was useless to argue, but she could not accept it. “You are my advisers, so tell us what our future plan is.”

“First we need to camp and conduct reconnaissance to find out what dangers can threaten us here.” Reported Sir Barristan.

“And while Sir Barristan is dealing with military affairs, I and Jorah will check our maps, I will prepare a letter for the King of the North, and we will send the ambassador.” Tyrion smiled. “They will answer us, we will coordinate the place and time of the meeting and organize it.”

“Are you sure they will agree?”

“I think they will.” Lannister shrugged. “Why should they refuse to negotiate?”

“And in extreme cases, we have a proposal of a political marriage.” Dany finished with a sigh.

“Do you mind?”

“I don’t really want to marry a man whom I have never even seen.” She shrugged. “But I know the queen's duty.”

“Good.” Lannister nodded. “If my sister understood it, the War of Five Kings could have been avoided.”

“But then you would never came to me, did not become my adviser and rider of Rhaegal.” Dany laughed in response.

“Yes, you're right here.” Tyrion also grinned. “Well, then I take my words back. I am glad that my sister is a selfish fool who is unable to see anything further than her own nose.”

“What are you speaking about your relatives? Maybe I should start to be afraid of you?”

“Only if you are going to accuse me of treason, which I did not commit, and execute.”

They laughed together, and then Dany turned to the place were dragons were resting.

“Where are you going?” Called out to her overly attentive Tyrion.

“I want to fly on Drogon.” She responded. “I don’t think that around this deserted place too many skillful archers are siting with arrows on their bows.”

“I don't think so either.” Lannister snorted. “Just do not fly far.”

“Of course, Tyrion.” She called back, again heading to the dragons and remembering what the map of the North looked like. The second phrase sounded much quieter. “Only to Winterfell.”


	10. Jon III "Blue Roses"

“My lords, my lady. I hope your trip went without accidents.” The King of the North politely greeted the guests of Winterfell.

“Thank you, Your Grace.” Lady Madge Mormont answered for all of them. “Now when Stark is back in Winterfell, the roads are safe.”

“I’m not Stark yet, my lady.” Jon smiled. “But I think you came to correct it.”

“Yes, Your Grace.” Howland Reed was much lower than Jon was. “We brought your brother’s testament, but before voicing it, I would like to speak with you.”

“As you wish, my lord. I ordered to prepare rooms for you; we can talk after you are accommodated.”

“I think the servants will be able to place my things without my participation.” Lord Reed was adamant and Jon surrendered.

“Good. Come on, my lord.”

In a small room, which Jon chose to talk, despite the daytime, a fireplace was lit. Recently, the King in the North began to like the flame, there was something enchanting, bewitching in it. Sometimes, looking at the flame, he again felt like a dragon from a dream, at such moments it seemed to Jon that he was losing his mind. At first, he tried to avoid fire, but then he stopped paying attention. Too much strange things happened to him from the moment when brothers of the Night Watch decided to kill him. If he thought about all these oddities, he would really go crazy.

“What did you want to talk about, my lord?” He asked, sitting down on a chair and pointing to second one.

“About your family, Your Grace ...” Lord Howland began, sitting down, but he did not manage to complete the intriguing phrase, as the door opened sharply and a frightened soldier appeared in the doorway.

“Your grace.” Young man's voice trembled significantly. “There, there ...”

“What is there?” Jon instantly got up, wondering what could frightened the fighter so much.

“Dragon.” Young man breathed out, making Jon think that he had misheard. “A huge black beast, settled on the wall.”

“What?” Jon hurried toward the door. “My lord, I'm sorry, but our conversation will have to be postponed.”

“I understand.” Jon heard the answer, already leaving the room.

There was a commotion in the courtyard of the castle; frightened people huddled to the center, trying to stay away from the wall on which the huge black dragon sat.

“Lower the bows! Lower the bows!” Jon hastily commanded several daredevils. “Do not scare him.”

“Your Grace, he seems to be not alone.” Timidly suggested one of the archers, lowering his weapon.

“What do you mean?”

“He is with a rider, a girl. Take a look.” Man awkwardly pointed to a dragon and, taking a closer look, Jon really noticed a human figure hiding behind one of the wings.

“Then he is not so dangerous.” He said firmly, being absolutely sure of the opposite. “I'll try to talk to the rider.”

“It’s too dangerous.” Grimly grumbled incomprehensibly as Madge Mormont who appeared nearby.

“No more dangerous than being in the castle that attracted an attention of the dragon, my lady.” Jon shook his head and moved slowly to the wall, and heard creaking of the snow behind him under the feet of other northerners. Jon frowned and sharply waved his hand, hoping that they understood him, people would not be able to protect him from the dragon flame, and the less people would come closer to the wall, the less chance that a dragon or his rider became nervous. “Milady.” He called to the girl, stopping a few meters from the outer wall. “Perhaps you should go down so we can talk.”

“Perhaps you should get up here.” She answered in a clear, worried voice.

“And then your dragon will eat me?” Jon raised his eyebrows, although the girl could hardly see it.

“And if I go down, will you kill me?”

“What for?” Now he really was surprised. “After this your dragon will furiously burns my castle and my people. And I don’t want it”

“Good.” She answered after a moment of thought. “I will come down, but only if you swear that nobody will harm me.”

“I swear by the Old and New Gods that you will be a guest in my castle, and while you are here, no one will dare to harm you.” Shouting the words of the oath was almost funny, but it didn’t matter, because he managed to achieve the main thing, the girl came from behind the dragon wing and began to descend the stairs.

When she stepped off the last rung, Jon was finally able to examine her properly. Short, fragile, with luxurious silver hair and amazing purple eyes - she was perhaps the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

“Milady.” He tried to smile as politely as possible.

“I'm not a lady.” Girl spoke much more confidently; probably his oath gave her courage. “I am Daenerys Targaryen, the Stormborn, rightful queen of Westeros, the queen of the Andals, Roinars and first humans, breaking the shackles, mother of dragons.”

“Queen Daenerys.” The list of girl's titles involuntarily inspired respect. “I heard about you and your dragons and am glad to meet you. I am Jon Snow, so far only the King of the North and former Lord Commander of Night Watch.

The queen smiled back. “If you are a king you are not just only.”

“Maybe.” He bowed his head. “My queen, could you ask your dragon to fly away, or at least settle on the other side of the walls. It scares my people.”

“Drogon.” Queen immediately turned to her dragon. “Fly, boy, just not far, soon we will need to return.”

Watching the black dragon fly up into the air, Jon suddenly felt a feeling of sincere delight that seemed have left him long time ago. “He is beautiful. Probably dragons are the most beautiful creatures in the world.” These words burst out from him involuntarily, and he did not even think about the second meaning that sounded in them.

However, Daenerys immediately heard it. “Have you seen dragons before?” Queen smiled, but sparkles of excitement froze in her eyes.

“Only in a dream, Your Grace.” He finally noticed that her cloak was too thin, that she had no gloves, that her boots were hardly suitable for winter, and that she was trembling from the cold.” I would suggest you go to the castle and discuss everything that you consider necessary there. It's too cold outside.”

“Thank you.” She smiled again. Her lips were white. “I'm not used to the cold.”

“It’s hard to get used to it, even if you live your whole life in the North.”

“I've never been to the North.” She voiced the obvious thing. “All my life I spent in Essos.”

“I know.” Jon agreed again and was forced to stop, as Lady Madge had grown on his road again.

“Well, who is this girl, and why did she bring the dragon to Winterfell?” Very gloomy asked the bear.

“This is Daenerys Targaryen.” Jon answered coldly. “She is my guest and wants to talk to me. I hope that your curiosity is satisfied.”

Lady frowned and backed away, but Daenerys spoke up. “Are you from Mormont's house?”

“I am it’s head.”

“Knight from your house serves me - Sir Jorah.”

“Nephew.” Muttered Lady Madge, but something in her tone had subtly changed. “He was a lord until, for the sake of his southern wife, he sold people into slavery and fled, leaving only the family sword as a keepsake.”

“He regrets what he did, my lady.” Queen responded, and Jon involuntarily remembered the Long Claw. “It did not bring him happiness.”

“All of that passed long ago.” Lady sighed. “Tell him that he can return if he wants, and if the king permits. Another man will not interfere with the bear island.”

“King permits.” Jon decided to interrupt the conversation, noting that the lips of his guest became as white as snow. “Your Grace, let’s go to the castle, you will freeze.”

“Are you ordering me?” There was no anger in her voice, only curiosity.

“Maybe. You are in my castle.” He smiled slightly, and she answered, taking the joke.

When he brought her into the room, the fire was still burning in the fireplace, but Howland Reed was not there, he probably went into his room, since Jon had not seen him in the courtyard.

“Have a seat, my queen. Do you want some wine?” The flame in which the dragons seemed to dance again attracted his gaze.

“It would be nice.” Responded Daenerys. “Do you like fire?”

“There is something in it that attracts the eye.” Jon opened the door, hailing one of the guards, ordered to bring some warmed wine and returned to the queen. “Perhaps you could start telling why you arrived, Your Grace.”

“I would like North swear to me as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.” She said hastily, as if afraid to change her mind.

“North has separated from the Seven Kingdoms.” Jon raised his eyebrows, but his voice remained absolutely calm and neutral.

“I know you refused to swear allegiance to the Lannisters, but I'm not Lannister.” In her violet eyes, indignation and confusion were mixed.

“We refused to swear allegiance to the Iron Throne that you want to receive.” He shook his head with a smile. “But North cannot survive this winter alone. Perhaps we can swear to you if you help us.”

Her face brightened after these words. “And what kind of help does the North need? I can provide some of my food.”

“We need your troops and your dragons to defeat what is coming from behind the Wall.”

“From behind of the Wall?” She did not understand. “Are you talking about the wildlings?”

“No, not about wildlings.” Jon leaned back in his chair. “I’m talking about Others and their army of the dead.” It seemed to him that after the words the room became darker, the fire in the fireplace went out, and frost ran down the walls. A servant who brought wine with spices interrupted the obsession.

“About Others.” The queen gently sipped the drink. “I thought it was just a fairy tale.”

“Dragons were also considered a fairy tale, your mercy.” Jon sighed, thinking that perhaps in vain he said about Others.

“Let it be so.” He heard completely unexpectedly. “But I cannot give you either an army or dragons until I return the Iron Throne. But without the support of the North, I will only be a foreign invader.”

“I think we could help you.” Jon liked the idea. He had long thought that to defeat the Others, the armies of all seven kingdoms might be needed, but he did not console himself with the hope that the King of the North could unite them. However, the Queen on the Iron Throne was quite capable of it. In addition, Jon needed the River Lands. He had repeatedly thought about what would happen if the Wall fell. The dead would rush to the lands of the North, killing everything living in their path, replenishing the army of their terrible masters. He would like to take those northerners who could not fight to the River Lands, but Lannisters dominated there, and the little king and his mother would hardly give him permission. Rather, Queen Cersei would laugh at the misfortune of the North, until it would become her misfortune ... but by that time, the entire North would be dead. “I cannot swear to you on behalf of the North. Lords have chosen me as king, and they may not understand if I take the oath without their consent. I will send the ravens to the Lords of the North and, as soon as they gather, we will discuss the oath.”

“Good.” Queen drank the wine and with a half-smile put the glass on the table. “I hope your lords will make the right decision.”

“I will try to convince them to do it.” He also smiled, ignoring the threat hidden in her words. “Come, Your Grace, we will find the maester.”

The letter he dictated to the found maester was short. In it, he spoke about the unexpected guest of Winterfell, about her proposal and that North again needed to get together in order to decide its fate.

After they left the maester, who promised that he would make the necessary number of copies of the letter as soon as possible.

“I need to fly back.” Daenerys informed him with a sigh. “It will be very difficult to explain to my Hand that I did not risk in vain. I hope that you will inform me of the decision that the Lords of the North will make.”

“I think it would be better if you attend the council, Your Grace.” Jon smiled slightly at the young queen. “You can explain everything to the Lords yourself. It will sound more convincing than my words.”

“Maybe it will.” She nodded. “Will you inform me of the need to come?”

“Only if you tell me where your camp is. I can’t send a messenger to nowhere.”

“I don't know how you call this place, but I could show it on the map.”

“As you say.” He took another step and was forced to stop, as he almost stumbled upon Howland Reed, who appeared out of nowhere.

“Your graces.” He politely greeted them.” I would like to talk.

“Yes, my lord.” Jon sighed and looked apologetically at Daenerys. “Sorry, my queen. Perhaps you should be the first to send a messenger; you at least know where to look for Winterfell.

“Maybe I'll fly by myself.” The girl grinned. “See you, Your Grace.”

“Queen Daenerys. I think you should also be present during our conversation with the king. It, in a sense, concerns you too.”

“Concerns me?” Daenerys sincerely marveled at Reed's words. “Well, I will linger if this is so important.”

“The main thing is that this time no dragon interferes in the conversation.” Jon tried to joke, again inviting everyone to a long-suffering room.

“If my Hand guesses where I flew, then it may.” Queen, however, took his joke quite seriously.

“So we need to end the conversation as quickly as possible. Your grace, I wanted to talk to you about your mother.”

“Did you know her?” Jon leaned forward, not immediately believing that he would finally receive an answer to the question that had tormented him since childhood. “What is she like?”

“She was beautiful.” The lord smiled a little sadly. “Good, noble, courageous and incredibly beautiful. We met at a tournament in Harrenhal when, with a sword, as if she were not a noble lady, she dispersed the squires that had attacked me.”

“She was noble.” Jon shook his head disbelievingly. “Did my father love her?”

“More than anything else.”

“How did she die?”

“By giving birth to you.”

Jon slowly bowed his head. He was sorry for his mother, but the fact that her father really loved her, that she was not just an accidental interest, was nice. “Was she Lady Ashara Dane?” Jon didn't know why he asked this, maybe just to make sure. When he was a child, many in the castle were whispering about his mother, and most talked about Lady Dane.

Lord Howland shook his head. “No, Lady Lyanna Stark.”

In the first second, he did not believe what he heard. Lady Lyanna was his aunt, she could not be his mother, it was simply impossible.

“Lady Lyanna had no children.” Daenerys seemed to be amazed no less than he was. “She ran away with my brother, and a rebellion began because of that.”

“Not because of this, Your Grace. But your brother loved Lady Lyanna, and she loved him.”

“Hm.” Jon finally remembered how to talk. “But if Lady Lyanna is my mother, then Lord Stark cannot be my father.”

“No, Eddard was not your father. He only protected you at the request of your mother.”

“You want to say that he is my brother’s bastard?” Daenerys voiced a provocative question.

“Not a bastard. The legitimate son.” Lord Howland pulled out an envelope from somewhere. “This is a letter from your mother. I do not know what she wrote in it, but she wanted you to read it.”

Jon took a piece of paper, an envelope in which, according to Howland Read, was a letter from his own mother, about whom he had not known anything for so many years. For a few seconds he simply looked, and then cast aside doubts and opened the envelope, breaking the seal with the three-headed Targaryen dragon.

“ _My baby.”_ With these words, the letter written in small handwriting began. “ _If you are reading this letter now, then I'm dead. I am very sorry that you did not happen to see dad and me but know that we loved you and were waiting for you. You will be told a lot about us, please, don’t listen. Your dad loved me, and I loved him. We became husband and wife. This is strange, I know. For many years Targaryens did not take two wives, but it is possible, believe me. I did not abandon my family, and your dad did not betray his. I wrote dozens of letters and I don’t know why none of them reached Winterfell. Princess Elia knew everything about us and never was opposed._ _My baby, I don’t even know if you’re a boy or a girl and I’m so sorry that you will grow up without us. I love you very much, my little one.”_

Jon looked at the letter written by his mother written for him for a long time, and finally slowly looked up. “Where did you get it?”

“Your mother gave it to your uncle before she died.” She wanted you to read it when you grow up.

“And why did it come to me just now?”

“Your uncle thought it would be safer and better for you if you never know your real parents.”

Jon nodded slowly, strangely accepting the news was pretty easy. They explained the dragon from dream, and the unexpected craving for fire, and even the delight at seeing Daenerys dragon.

“So you are Targaryen too. And legal one.” The queen frowned. “It will be easy to refute.”

“No.” Jon looked at the girl, trying to understand how she reacted at the news unexpected for both of them. “It will be impossible to prove. The letter is too unreliable evidence.”

“Letter - yes.” The girl nodded thoughtfully and smiled at the corner of her lips. “But if I recognize you as my nephew, then no one will doubt the veracity of my words.”

“And what, Your Grace wants for it?” Jon raised his eyebrows slightly.

“I'll think about it.” She smiled slyly.

“Your Grace.” Lord Reed intervened again. “Your mother asked me to give you one more thing. The name that she and your father have chosen for you.”

He nodded slowly, suddenly feeling a thin needle of sadness and regret pierce his heart.

“They named you in honor of your great-grandfather and in honor of the Old King - Jaehaerys.”

“Name of the true Targaryen.” Jon smiled weakly. “You couldn’t pronounce it without practice.”

“You can shorten it.” Suggested Daenerys. “To Jahe, for example.”

“I'd rather just stay Jon.”

She shrugged, wrapped a silver curl on her finger and looked at him again. “Maybe you will agree to go to my camp with me, Your Grace? Information about your origin is very important and my advisers must know it.”

“You can tell it yourself, my Queen. I think I'm needed here.”

“Well, you yourself said that my words for the northern lords will be more convincing than yours. Why should it be different with my advisers? Moreover.” The girl’s smile became cunning. “Don't you want to look at my dragons and the army yourself and understand how to use them better? If you want, I can give you the same oath that you gave me.”

Jon could refuse her. There were many reasons to stay at Winterfell and even more not fly to her camp, but he suddenly wanted to believe this girl. “This is not necessary, my Queen. I believe that you will not harm me.”

“It's nice. You will have to fly on Drogon behind me; I hope you are not afraid of height.”

“Of height - no. Dragons, perhaps.” He smiled. “Lord Reed, I would ask you to temporarily replace me during my absence.”

“Don't hold back, Your Grace.” The lord smiled. “When the Lords of the North arrive, it would be better if there is a king in Winterfell.”

“I'll be back, my lord.” on politely nodded. “We will not stay long.”

“Just a couple of days.” With a smile confirmed Daenerys.


	11. Tyrion II

The loss of the queen showed up pretty quickly. When Tyrion, finished checking the maps and writing a letter to the King of the North and went to the dragons, Drogon was not there. Hastily found Sir Barristan did not know anything about the place where queen had gone. The offer of the white knight, about the beginning of an immediate search for Daenerys, he was forced to reject. There was no point in sending people somewhere, not even knowing the direction in which queen had flown. Panic is all that they would achieve. The only thing left for them was to hope that queen was smart enough not to get into trouble.

For two whole hours, Tyrion could not find a place, worrying about Denis. Every now and then, she seemed to him dead or captured, his thoughts rushed from fear for the girl, to the fear of not ending this whole company and not getting such a coveted revenge. Such thoughts caused shame, and he drove them, reminding himself that Denis was not only a queen, but also a relative, but the fear of not receiving the desired revenge returned again and again.

Tyrion once again scrolled all these thoughts in his head when one of the Unsullied burst into his tent and said that a dragon was spotted on the horizon.

Outside, carefully peering into the approaching black dot, Sir Barristan was already standing.

“I hope she is all right.” Tyrion stood next to the Queen’s White Guard commander and took a closer look at the flying dragon. “Drogon seems uninjured, probably everything is fine.”

“It is much harder to injure a dragon than a rider.” Sir Barristan shook his head with concern. “But I'm sure Drogon would not have returned without a queen.”

“Well, soon we will have the opportunity to find out. Dragons fly fast, he will be here soon.”

Black dragon really flew very fast. Within a few minutes, Drogon's paws touched the ground, and the queen slipped from his back.

“Your Grace, where have you been?” Tyrion hurried to Daenerys. “We have lost you. You shouldn't have ...”

“I flew for reconnaissance.” Queen did not look a bit excited. “And it was successful, meet our guest, Tyrion.”

Only now, after the queen’s words, he noticed that someone else had arrived with her, a man whom he didn’t immediately notice because he was too calm, and interrupted his instructions, it was not worth reporting the queen in front of strangers.

“I’d like to introduce you…” Daenerys looked extremely pleased. “King of the North - Jon Snow.”

“Jon Snow.” Now, looking closely, Tyrion recognized the unexpected guest as the bastard of Ned Stark, whom he had seen almost four years ago. “You have changed. From bastard and black brother became King of the North. Will you share a secret of coming that far?

“Maybe.” Young man grinned back. “If only you could tell me how Lannister could be among the advisers of the dragon queen.”

“I saddled the dragon and was able to gain the respect of her people.” Lannister shrugged. “Your turn.”

“Well, all I needed was to lose the whole family and be on the verge of death due to the betrayal of the brothers.” It was said so indifferently that Tyrion involuntarily became scared.

“Stop.” Queen's words returned emotions to John's face, and Tyrion felt a little calmer. “Do you know each other?”

“We met, however, very long time ago.” Tyrion smiled, remembering that time. “Then Robert Baratheon still ruled Seven Kingdoms, there was no war, and the young bastard of Lord Stark was about to join the valiant ranks of the Night Watch.”

“Lord Tyrion then taught me several lessons, which were very useful in the future.”

“So this is how it was.” Dany nodded. “And what can you say about the King of the North, Lord Tyrion?”

“About the King of the North - nothing, I do not know him at all.” He thought for a moment. “But that boy I knew was a good man. Honest and noble like his father.”

“Flattering characteristic.” The young king answered. “But you hardly knew my father well.”

“Yes, I didn’t know Lord Eddard too well.” Tyrion was surprised that Snow was talking about this. “But...”

“He's not talking about Lord Stark.” Dany laughed, and Tyrion felt that the two of them knew more than he did. “Sir Barristan, you knew my brother well. You told me that he loved Lady Lyanna. Did you know that they were going to have a child?”

“Your grace, I ...” the old knight was embarrassed, which involuntarily led to certain suspicions. “Prince told me, yes. He hoped it would be a girl. But when Lord Stark returned with his sister's body, I decided that the child was also dead.”

“You were mistaken.” John Snow said it as indifferently as he was speaking before.

“Do you really want to say ...”

“Yes. Life of his sister’s child turned out to be more important to Lord Stark than his honor.”

Again, as then in Meereen, the last piece of the mosaic was in Tyrion’s hands. And again he could not remain silent. “And in order to save Rhaegar’s child, Lord Stark passed him off as his bastard.”

“Yes, Tyrion, we think so.” Dany sighed and shrugged.

“But then it means ... Means ...” Sir Barristan could not cope with emotions.

“Do you have evidence?” Tyrion immediately felt a weak spot in the words of the queen.

“No.” Young king of the North shook his head. “Only mother’s letter.”

“This is not proof.” Lannister ran a hand through his hair. “Too easy to fake.”

“It is not, but if I recognize Jon as a relative, then all questions will go away.” Dany intervened again.

“Or if the King of the North can mount the dragon.” Quietly added the white knight. “For most of Westeros, this will be the best evidence.”

“Yes, it will remove most of the questions.” Tyrion sighed. “But it will also rise to many new ones, for example, who will get the Iron Throne?”


	12. Jaime II

“And yet, uncle, I think we are doing wrong by letting him go.” Edmure Tully, the former Lord of Riverrun and the former Lannister prisoner, freed by Brotherhood without Banners, has been trying to convey his simple position to the Black Fish for several days, which, apparently, has bothered the entire small detachment.

“Edmure.” Sir Brynden held out sadly, confirming Jaime's thoughts. “We will get a good ransom for him, which we urgently need. Moreover, Frey agreed to let your wife and newborn baby go. Is this not enough for you?” Judging by Tally's face, at that moment he didn’t want to explain all this to the his nephew once again, but to give him a good thrash. Edmure probably was saved only by the presence of a captive, in which the Black Fish did not want to sort out family relationships.

However, Edmure did not seem to understand this, or maybe he was too angry with Jaime. In general, all the time that Lannister against his own will spent among the robbers; it was this Tally that caused the most problems. Dead Lady Catelyn was not concerned about him from the moment Black Fish persuaded her not to execute the captive. Brynden Tally himself paid only a little more attention to Lannister, once a lord, and now a robber, he was too busy managing his gang. And only Edmure always had time, the former Lord of Riverrun remembered Jaime’s threats well and now did not hesitate to demonstrate his attitude to him, fortunately, only in words.

“It’s enough for me.” Younger Tully muttered in response. “But letting Lannister go is silly.”

“Edmure please shut up. I already realized that you do not agree with my actions, and I am not going to change anything in our plans.” Voice of Black Fish sounded so convincing that Edmure swallowed his next words and, finally, fell silent.

Everything became silence, and Jaime mentally thanked the Seven. Ever since his cousin Daven agreed to pay the ransom, the former Lord of Riverrun did not seem to be silent for a moment. Now, when the need to listen to his discontent disappeared, Jaime was able to think about what he would do next. In the capital, his king was waiting for him, his son Tommen. And Cersei was waiting for him, no matter what she did, she still was his sister, and Jaime was obliged to return to her. Perhaps Daven would be able to provide him with a small escort to the capital. In order to cope with the usual gangs of robbers operating in the River Lands, two or three dozen people were quite enough, and Jaime hoped never meet with the Brotherhood without Banners again. From the pisses of the conversations of the robbers, Lannister realized that Brotherhood was gathered to the North, which again declared itself independent, threw off the power of the Boltons and proclaimed the new King of the North. It was interesting who this king was, the robbers did not call his name even once.

“Stop. We have arrived.” Brynden Tully commanded when the sky became visible through the tree trunks in front. “Archers spread out, check the situation and get ready to cover me. Edmure, if it becomes dangerous to be here, retreat, and yes, don’t try to give a command to the archers without the need, remember, we came here not to kill.” Given instructions, the Black Fish turned to his captive. “Are you ready to reunite with your family, Lannister?”

"The main thing is that the family is ready for this and for that price they will have to pay.” Jaime allowed himself a bit of malice.

“We see Lannisters, my lord.” One of the archers called out to Black Fish. “Two dozen people, no archers.”

“And it seems that lions intended to comply with the agreed conditions. Well, if so, then let's go.” Tully grinned and touched the horse.

Forest ended just a few meters away, and the rays of the setting sun flashed on the waves of the river.

“What is river it?” Jaime asked, while studying the approaching detachment in the scarlet and gold colors of the Lannisters.

“Green Fork.” Black Fish was amazingly well-disposed. Probably future ransom appeased him.

Further rapprochement with the Lannisters took place in silence. Jaime desperately wanted to gallop his horse, but he restrained himself, realizing that this could end with an arrow in the back. It was better to wait a few more minutes and return home, rather than go to the grave.

“Well, where is our gold?” Instead of greeting, Sir Brynden inquired as the meeting party approached.

“You will get it right now.” Cousin’s hair became even longer. In addition, he cut his beard. “Give this robber what he deserves.”

Soldiers took up their swords, which, however, did not shake the calmness of Black Fish. “I suggest you not to do it. I have two dozen archers in the forest, if you do not want to check their accuracy on yourself, it is better to comply with the contract.”

“Well, I had to try.” It seemed that cousin was not upset at all. “Take away the swords and carry the gold.”

Swords again returned to the scabbard, and two massive chests were removed from the horses and transferred to Sir Brynden. He went down from the horse, checked the chests, making sure that there was indeed gold, smiled at Daven. “Nice to deal with you, Lord Lannister. You can pick up a relative and his horse, perhaps, too.”

Receiving confirmation that when he tries to get closer to his own people, he will not get an arrow in the back, Jaime touched the horse and, finally, was again among the Lannisters.

“Cousin.” Daven greeted him joyfully. “I already thought I wouldn't see you anymore. When you disappeared, whole army was looking for you, but never found. How did you get to these robbers?”

“I believed to the woman.” Jaime shook his head, regretting what Brienne had done.

“You can’t believe women, you can’t.” Cousin still in the same humorous manner shook his head. “But tomorrow I have not just to believe, but to hand my fate into the hands of a woman.”

“Which one of them?”

“Walda Frey.” Daven laughed. “The old Lord of the Crossings no longer wishes to postpone the wedding.”

“I need to congratulate you.” Jaime smiled. “Although I would prefer to avoid weddings arranged by Lord Walder.”

“Me too, but to refuse a wedding is even more dangerous, and the old man is completely mad about it, after he had heard about the new King of the North.”

“Probably he is afraid that new King will be smarter than the previous one. By the way, do you know who he is?”

“Some John Snow.” Daven shrugged. “It seems that these northerners froze their last brains, once they chose bastard as their king.”

Northerners, at least, know that their king is a bastard. Mentally disagreed Jaime. However, most of the Seven Kingdoms lack this knowledge. “Perhaps this is the bastard of Ned Stark.” He answered instead. “Then the choice of the northern lords becomes at least a little clearer. Although it is still strange, I heard that boy became Lord Commander of the Night Watch.”

“Now there are too many oddities in the world.” Cousin sighed. “Let’s leave the King of the North, let the king’s Hand think what to do with him, although, as for me, it would be better to forget about these northerners before spring. I have to tell you the sad news. Your uncle Kevan was killed.

“By whom?” Jaime could not immediately believe in words he heard. First, father, now Uncle Kevan, the smartest people in the family are dead. What will happen to Lannister’s house now?

“No one knows. He was shot from a crossbow. Your sister is sure that this is Tyrion.”

“Tyrion is too smart to stay in Kings Landing after he killed our father.” He shook his head. “It's not him.”

Daven shrugged, and for a while they rode in silence. “What are you going to do next?” Question was raised when two twin towers loomed in the distance.

“I have to go to the capital. The place of the white knight is next to his king.” And next to his sister whispered an inner voice. “I have been in the River Lands for too long.”

“And you won’t even stay at my wedding?” Cousin grinned.

“I prefer to stay away from weddings arranged by Walder Frey.”

“Cousin, if you linger for a couple of days, nothing will change in Kings Landing.” Daven easily figured out the true reason for the refusal. “Your sister won the trial by battle, your nephew is quite confidently sitting on the throne, his Hand, Lord Tyrell, does not shine with his mind, but he is vitally interested in Tommen sitting on the Iron Throne until he is able to make a child to his queen, and this will not happen soon.”

These words almost convinced Jaime, but then he remembered about the death of Uncle Kevan, and gave no concern. Whoever killed his uncle, certainly did not wish anything for the Lannister house, which meant that Tommen or Cersei might be in danger. “I'm sorry, Daven, but I'm not in a very festive mood. I just found out about my uncle’s death.”

“Yes, I understand.” Cousin nodded. “I will give you people. Traveling alone in the River Lands is a suicide.”

“I really hoped you would say that. Thanks.” Horses’ hooves pounded on the drawbridge. “Is aunt Jenna here?”

“Where else can she be? She arrived from Riverrun with her husband and half of the servants, even brought her singer, and said that she likes his mischievous songs.”

“She always liked them.” Jaime very vaguely remembered that singer. “Will she be very upset if I won't have a talk with her?”

“What do you think?” Daven laughed again. “I understand that you want to return to your sister, but it’s better to stay through the night. Robbers scour the surroundings, and I don’t want to collect the ransom again.”

“Good.” Surrendered Jaime. “I'll stay for the night, but I want to leave at dawn, and yet, be so kind, spare me the need to communicate with Freys.”


	13. Jon IV

The night felt down on the camp of Daenerys Targaryen. Between the tents the fires were lit, through the dense walls of some of them shone the light of candles, people walked with torches in their hands. Tomorrow the huge army gathered here would move to Winterfell, settle down under the walls of the castle and wait for the response of the northern lords. What this answer would be, Jon did not know, but he knew that no matter what the lords decide, he would go with Daenerys. With the queen of dragons, who suddenly turned out to be his only relative.

Although for those around them, an unexpected relationship seemed to be a problem. Tyrion's voice, when he asked who would receive the Iron Throne sounded extremely worried, Sir Barristan was tormented by doubts, and Sir Jorah Mormont and Victarion Greyjoy completely considered Jon a liar and refused to believe the letter.

“If the King of the North can mount the dragon, then this will be the best proof.” Jon repeated thoughtfully. Perhaps this could be the way out. Perhaps he would even decide to go up to the dragon if he understood what Daenerys was thinking about it. When Sir Barristan spoke about the dragon, a huge amount of emotions appeared on the queen's face, and Jon had not seen happiness among them. To some extent, he could understand the queen; she was called the Mother of Dragons, and which mother would like if someone takes her child away. Jon shrugged, and decided to return to his tent. Tomorrow the queen promised to fly with him to Winterfell so that he could prepare the castle for the arrival of the guests.

“Hey you, bastard.” A very rude call made Jon turn around. “So do you want to convince us that you are more legitimate than the queen?”

“I cannot be more legitimate than a queen.” Jon looked indifferently at the approaching gloomy Victarion Greyjoy. “And I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone.”

“Then for what was all this talk about letter?”

“Daenerys decided that we are obliged to inform her advisers about my origin.”

“And now, you will take the Iron Throne from her.”

“I don't need the Iron Throne.” Jon moved away because Greyjoy came too close. “But, there are other ways.”

“Yes, I remember that this Lannister was babbling about dynastic marriage.”

“It is one of them.” He shrugged. “Or she may refuse to recognize me as a relative, and I will prove nothing to anyone.”

“And what about the dragon?” Greyjoy suddenly calmed down.

“I don't want to become a handful of ashes.” He grinned.

“Good.” Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet nodded. “Let's go and have some talk.”

“Couldn’t we talk standing here?” Jon grinned, but still followed Greyjoy.

“More likely someone will be eavesdropping.”

“What a secret. And what will the conversation be about?”

“About the queen.” Victarion Greyjoy somehow strangely looked at Jon. “I sailed to Meereen for her dragons and her, I wanted to make her my wife, I helped her defeat her enemies and brought her army to Westeros. And now, when we are here, you appear, and the dwarf starts talking about dynastic marriage.”

“This was Tyrion’s idea, not my.” Jon frowned; he did not like the direction of the conversation. “Speak to him.”

“I can't speak to the dwarf the way I want.” The queen likes him. Greyjoy’s expression became threatening, and Jon regretted he had left his sword in the tent.

“And with me you can. Jon suppressed the desire to pull out the knife; it was not worth provoking the interlocutor. Because of a forgotten sword, he had no chance in an open confrontation against Greyjoy.

“I want to try to come to an agreement with you.”

“Why not with Tyrion?” He mentally praised himself for the decision to leave the knives in place.

“He's a dwarf.” It sounded like a curse. “On the Iron Islands, these are drowned in infancy.”

“In vain.” To his own surprise, Jon felt a short flash of anger after Greyjoy's words. “Perhaps that is why there are practically no smart people on the Iron Islands.” Greyjoy sniffed insulted, but the Jon gave him no answer. “But I will not marry Daenerys against her will, if you want to make her your wife; you need to talk to her.”

Lord Victarion nodded silently, turned to Jon and froze, as if he had seen a ghost behind him. Jon, not understanding what was happening, turned slowly ... in order to see a dragon’s face with its teeth bared a few meters away.

“Will it attack?” He was not scared, but standing next to a creature that could eat him with one movement of the jaws was unpleasant.

“There is no queen nearby, and he is angry at something.” Greyjoy was calm, but fear was heard in his voice. “We must carefully move away, maybe it is just protecting its territory.”

Jon took a few steps back, but it did nothing good, on the contrary, the dragon growled muffled deafly and moved toward him. Judging by the creak of snow, Lord Victarion departed, from behind, the voices of other people were heard, but for Jon the world shrank to the face of the dragon, its fangs and attentive eyes.

“You don't want me to leave?” Jon once again reminded himself that he was Targaryen, no matter how difficult it was to get used to it; he could negotiate with the dragon. Daenerys and Tyrion could, and he can handle it. “What do you want?”

The dragon again growled in a hollow growl and brought his head even closer.

For a few seconds, Jon looked at an incredibly beautiful and equally dangerous creature, and then, obeying an inner feeling, carefully touched the dragon's face with his hand. At first, the beast was silent, as if surprised by the act of the person standing in front of him, and then it made a sound similar to both the rumbling and purring of a cat and rubbed its muzzle on Jon's hand.

“So you wanted me to stroke you.” Jon smiled. “Now will you let me go?”

In response, the dragon snorted indignantly and growled again, clearly unhappy with the words.

“And what do you still want?” Jon stroked the dragon's face again, hoping that queen would come soon and deal with her dragon.

However, the beast suddenly decided to answer. It snorted again and set the wing up.

This gesture reminded Jon of how in Winterfell Drogon set up wing to Daenerys so she could climb on his back. “Do you want me to sit on your back?” He cautiously asked the dragon. “Are you sure?”

The dragon snorted again and nudged Jon with his head.

“As you want.” Jon man mentally apologized to Daenerys and climbed up the dragon wing. “Just try to keep me from falling, okay.”

The dragon in response flapped its huge wings and soared into the air. Jon had to clasp his hands around the dragon’s neck hastily, but he did not feel fear. However, he felt much more. The icy calm that has not left him since the assassination attempt has evaporated and was replaced by rapture and an incomparable sense of childish joy. The people below remained incredibly small, and the world, on the contrary, seemed to have turned around and become huge. The dragon turned around, making a circle above the camp, and another, black Drogon, on whose back the queen sat, soared up from the ground to meet it. Dragons rushed to each other, flew nearby, almost touching each other with wings. Then Drogon soared up and flew over Jon's dragon, either playing, or forcing to sit down.

“Get down.” Daenerys shouted these words. “Get down, we need to talk.”

Jon did not want to get down, but he obeyed the Dragon Queen and patted his dragon on the neck, giving the command to go down.

Below they were waited. Tyrion, Victarion Greyjoy, Jorah Mormont, Barristan Selmy and many soldiers of the queen's army. Almost everyone seemed astounded, except perhaps Tyrion, who looked extremely pleased.

“You see, my queen.” It was he who spoke first. “We were not mistaken when we assumed that there could be another dragon rider here in the North. Now all dragons have riders.”

“This is good news.” Down from the wing of her dragon Daenerys smiled, and Jon finally ceased to feel guilty for sitting on her dragon. “I'm glad Rhaegal found his rider.”

“I'm happy for you, my queen.” Despite his words, Lord Victarion looked saddened. “If you allow me, I will withdraw my fleet to the Iron Islands tomorrow. I need to deal with my brother.”

“I thank you for your help, my lord.” The queen smiled. “Of course, I give you my permission. But I hope that you will come back.”

“Lord Victarion.” Jon was not sure that what he was going to say would please Greyjoy. “Few months ago, your niece and nephew went to the Islands, in the hope, if I understood correctly, to review the results of the Kingsmoot where your brother became king.”

“The old law.” Despite the fears, the captain’s face brightened. “Asha is smart, she remembered, no one thought of it, but she remembered. I have to help her, from Theon she will get no assistance, no wonder his father recognized him unworthy of the title of prince.”

Or maybe in vain. Jon did not mentally agree, remembering how Greyjoy was able to overcome himself and not strike Jon with the dagger

“Sail, Lord Captain.” Tyrion spoke, and Jon kept his thoughts to himself. “But don't forget who the true king of the Seven Kingdoms is.”

“And who is it?” Daenerys uttered an unexpected phrase, with a half-smile stroking her dragon.

“You.” Tyrion was apparently so surprised that forgot about all the manners.

“Really?” The queen was still smiling oddly. “But what about Jon? He now has a dragon, and his mother’s letter is transformed from an ordinary piece of paper into a serious document.”

“Well, there’s still a dynastic marriage.” Tyrion’s bewildered look spoke better than any words. Lannister was not ready for the situation.

In response to the words of the queen’s Hand, Jon shrugged with visible indifference. Daenerys was beautiful and seemed kind and fair, and he was not at all opposed to this girl becoming his wife, but the final decision was hers.

Everyone looked at Daenerys, and she smiled weakly and also shrugged. Only in her violet eyes, there was not a drop of joy, and, judging by the troubled look of Tyrion, he also noticed this.


	14. Tyrion III

Tyrion did not like Winterfell. Inside this monumental castle, he felt even smaller. In addition, the castle brought back memories of the time when peace reigned in the kingdom, which in a strange way was also unpleasant. There was left too much at that time, more good than bad.

Lannister suspected that the young King of the North was also tormented by memories here. At least in the few days that Tyrion spent at Winterfell, Jon never visited the divine worship. It was possible that he simply had no time, because it was necessary to place an army and three dragons in the castle, but Lannister suspected that something else was the matter. He would like to know what. He would like to know a lot of things. For example, what happened to Daenerys. Since Jon saddled the dragon, queen avoided him, and Jon himself did not pay any attention to her, not even tried to do something. Frightened by the situation, Tyrion proposed to marry the king and the queen as soon as they got to Winterfell, but Jon Snow rejected this proposal. He said that it was necessary to wait for the Lords of the North. Although he wasn’t Snow anymore. Daenerys recognized a relative, so the King of the North was a Targaryen now. Jaehaerys Targaryen, if saying it right, and Jon Targaryen, as the king prefers.

Lannister sighed heavily, settled himself comfortably in the big armchair he had chosen, and looked at the map of the kingdom laid out before him. The whole dragon situation was extremely inappropriate and could interfere with the implementation of his plans. It would probably be better if Jon did not become a dragon rider at all and remained what he had been all his life - Ned Stark's bastard. Tyrion understood that it was unfair to Jon, that thinking so was wrong, selfish, but could not help himself. If the marriage did not happen, and judging by the behavior of both Targaryens, who obviously hadn’t wanted this marriage, such a development of the situation was quite possible, then the question of who would get the Iron Throne would become especially acute. And after several months of talking with Daenerys, Tyrion suspected that she might well concede to her newly-found nephew. As a result, Tyrion would lose his hand status, and most likely, forever, the current King of the North had his closest associates and there was no reason for him to trust Lannister. Moreover, Targaryen was quite capable of turning the army north against an unknown enemy, in which Tyrion believed no more than in grumkins and snarks. Then it will be an end to everything, the end of all his plans, he will never receive Casterly, will not see the death of his sister and will not take revenge on his brother. These were cruel, wrong thoughts, but they occupied the little man. He came to Daenerys Targaryen in the hope that he would be able to take revenge on his family and gain recognition that he had lacked all his life. He received recognition, but revenge...

Two Targaryen and their dragons were now standing confidently between him and his revenge, and if Lannister still wanted to get something, then he should have thought how to turn carefully these relatives from an obstacle into assistants. Maybe it was worth finding out from Daenerys what was repealing her in Jon. Or to talk to the King of the North, explain that the southern lands can be useful to him in the war against these Others. And for capturing the south, the right hand will be useful, familiar with the mores of the southerners, knowing their strengths and weaknesses.

The King of the North can heed. He always listens to the voice of reason. Perhaps he is even too reasonable. Jon, whom Tyrion saw, did not at all look like the young bastard whom he had met many years ago in the courtyard of this very castle. In that boy, an inner fire burned - bright, visible to anyone who met him. There was more of the north in that boy than in any of the brothers; he seemed a younger Eddard Stark. Glimmers of fire persisted in the current King of the North. Tyrion saw them in Jon's eyes as he descended from Rhaegal's wing, but most often this fire was buried under a dense shell of ice. Now Jon has become like his own father. Prince Rhaegar was just as closed, and only one person, apparently, managed to get to the dragon through his armor. Tyrion wondered if his son would find his Lyanna Stark.

Lannister slid off his chair, about to head off to one of the Targaryen, but still wondering which one of them when the room door opened.

“Lord Tyrion, the king wishes to see you.”

“The king.” He grinned; his problem was resolved by itself. “Let’s don’t not make him wait. Will you show where to go?”

“Yes, my lord.” The youth who delivered the message left the room, and Tyrion followed him.

Following the young northerner through the gloomy corridors of the castle, Tyrion wondered why Jon might need him and how to build a conversation in order to get what he wanted from the King of the North. Tyrion could not answer his first question, regarding the second one, his opinion remained unchanged, in the conversation it was necessary to emphasize the logic of the actions necessary for Tyrion.

The young man accompanying him finally stopped in front of one of the doors, opened it and stepped aside, letting Lannister pass. The room where he came was small, there was a table against the far wall, in front of the fireplace, in which, despite the fact that the room was quite light and very hot, the fire was burning, and two armchairs. In one of them, looking thoughtfully at the fire, sat the young King of the North.

“Good evening, Tyrion.” Jon did not take his eyes off the flame. “Have a seat. Will you have some wine?”

“I will refrain, perhaps.” Something in the way Targaryen looked at the flame scared Tyrion. “Why you wanted to see me?”

“You are the queen’s hand. I wanted to know your plans.”

“We were going to take the oath of the North.” Tyrion sighed, when he planned this, everything seemed so simple, who knew that everything would became so confused. “And then go to the capital, most of the Lords would bow when it became ours.”

Jon nodded slowly, as if not hearing his words. “You once told me that you like to look into the fire, Tyrion. You said that you see the death of your relatives there.”

“Once upon a time.” Lannister was completely uncomfortable; something terrible was now in Jon, in his pose, words, that he did not take his eyes off the fire. “But now this is not necessary, I have Viserion, I no longer need to dream of a flame.”

“And to me it seems that dragons are dancing in the fire.” Targaryen held out his hand to the fireplace, but never touched the flame. “But now I have Rhaegal.” Jon turned, and Tyrion with great relief saw that his eyes were absolutely normal, without a drop of madness. “Did I scare you?” A smile appeared on the lips of the king. “I wanted to see your reaction. You think too much about others, Tyrion.”

Lannister only grinned weakly and climbed into the second chair, Jon was more attentive than he expected.

“Can I consider your smile as a sign that you will no longer try to make me your pawn?”

“I think yes.” Tyrion nodded.

“Perfect.” Jon smiled faintly. “Then, I think, it’s worth discussing the details of your plan.”


	15. Theon II

Iron Fleet entered the harbor, triumphantly glittering with gold krakens on sails and the bow figures of ships. The majestic, invincible Iron Fleet. Where was it a month ago, when sister went on her last voyage?

Theon straightened his cloak, which was poorly protecting from the cold, on his shoulders and glanced at Jayne. He persuaded his little wife to stay in the castle, which was a little bit better protected from the piercing winter wind, but she refused. She said that she did not want to be a burden for him, which meant that the iron-born should not see her as a pampered girl from the Green Lands, but a worthy wife of the King of the Iron Islands. And she tried, she was everywhere with him, tried to get used to the islands and their people, tried to become part of this gloomy, unfriendly place, which was so unlike the beautiful palaces from the dreams of the former Jayne.

Boats were lowered from the ships, and the rowers, practically indistinguishable at such a distance, were leaning on the oars. There was very little time left, very soon the boats will land ashore and Theon will have to answer in front of uncle Victarion. His return will be the best answer for Theon and Jayne, whether they coped with a responsibility that unexpectedly fell on their shoulders. When Theon called Jayne his wife, it didn’t seem a problem, he was chosen king, but everyone understood that Asha would be the real ruler and she would continue their family, but then sister sailed away and did not return, and Theon and Jayne remained king and queen Iron islands.

The first boat poked its nose into the shore, and uncle Victarion was the first to jump out of it, rising above his nephew.

“Lord Uncle, I'm glad you returned to the Iron Islands.” Theon straightened up, trying to be at least a little like a king. “Let me introduce my wife, Lady Jayne.”

“Well, hello, nephew.” The dark voice of Lord Victarion spoke better than any words. “You always was soft and picked up the same wife.”

“Please do not offend your queen, Lord Captain.” He answered, looking into the dark eyes of his uncle. Each word seemed as heavy as stone, equally incredibly heavy, and it was even more difficult to look into the eyes, not to look away. But if he really wanted to become a king, then he had to withstand all this, not listen to the vile, cowardly voice that persuaded him to fall to his knees retreat in front of such a strong man.

“How did you know that we would come? And where is Asha?” Uncle first time looked away and Theon took a breath. “Why do you meet the Iron Fleet, and not she?”

“The King of the North sent me a raven, saying that you were going to the islands.” Theon straightened his cloak again. “Asha died, Euron killed her.”

“When? “Theon could not understand the reaction of Victarion, either confusion or anger.

“About a month already.” The conversation rekindled the pain of memories. Sister sailed to him, saved him, but he could not save her.

“And who rules the islands all this time?”

“Perhaps we should talk in the castle; the wind here is too strong.” “Theon finally understood the reason for his uncle's questions and decided that it would be better holding this conversation away from prying eyes.

Lord Victarion frowned, but nodded that Theon had counted as a favorable sign.

For conversation, he chose one of the halls of the castle, where a fire burned in a large fireplace. Theon sat in a comfortable chair with a glass of wine, mentally trying to prepare for a conversation with his uncle, who sat in front with the same grim expression on his face. “So who rules the islands after Asha’s death?”

“Me, uncle. Jayne and I.” Theon again looked straight at Uncle and felt some satisfaction when amazement flickered in the eyes of a relative. “But we cannot handle it without your help.”

“And what help do you need?” It seemed that he managed to flatter his uncle, his face brightened and even a kind of smile appeared on it.

“Any that you can provide.” Theon smiled back without opening his lips and squeezed the palm of Janie who was sitting next to him. “But most of all, we need you to lead the Iron Fleet on my behalf. And more ...” Theon hesitated, but decided that there would be no better time. “We want you to be my heir. You can still have children, uncle, and neither Jayne nor I will have a child.”

“I would be happy, Theon.” Uncle Victarion's voice suddenly changed and became uncertain. “But I'm not sure I will live long enough. Look.”

Uncle pulled off the glove from his right hand, and next to him Jayne gasped. Theon himself barely resisted the exclamation, his uncle's hand was cracked and smoking like stone, and flashes of fire were visible in the cracks.

“At first I was delighted that my hand became stronger, I considered the priest who cured it to be a real wizard and even believed to his Red God.”

“To the Red God?” Theon was not going to interrupt uncle, but with these words he remembered Stannis Baratheon and the fiery heart on his banners. “R'hllor?”

“Yes.” Lord Victarion nodded. “But recently, I began to feel that the fire left my hand, I feel it inside myself. I tried to fight it, but nothing helped, I'm sure that the Drowned God punishes me for daring to consider the Red God equal to him.”

“R'hllor is a cruel god, uncle. He demands that people must be burned in his glory.” Theon shook his head, realizing that the possible future death of this relative did not sadden him too much. He practically did not know his uncle, and now only regretted that his family would end on him. “I think the Drowned God has nothing to do with it. He would sink your ship, if he wanted to punish you, he would not try to burn you alive.”

Uncle silently looked at him, put the glove on his hand again, and only then spoke. “I will not wait until the flame burns me from the inside, if you are right, nephew, then an eternal feast awaits me in the underwater chambers, I will go to the Drowned one and not surrender to the Red God. Dagmer may lead the Iron Fleet; he will be a good Lord Captain.”

“But what about your house?” For the first time since the Iron Fleet ships appeared on the horizon, Jayne spoke. “Theon and I will have no children, but the house of Greyjoy cannot be interrupted.”

“Well, one of my uncles still has the opportunity to continue it.” Theon frowned at the thought that his sister’s killer could again rule the Iron Islands.

“Curse on Euron's head.” Angrily confirmed his thoughts Victarion and clenched his fist, thin streams of smoke stretched out from under the glove. “He won't get the islands.”

“Theon.” Jayne tugged at his sleeve, and Theon turned his head to his wife. “Had you any bastards, Theon?”

“Bastards?” The meaning of what was said could not reach him.

“Jon became King of the North, although he was always just a bastard.” In response, she recalled. “If the bastard is legalized, then he will be able to inherit his father. We can revive Greyjoy's house.”

“And you agree to accept someone else's child, for the sake of my family?” Theon felt his voice tremble.

“Now this is my family.” Jayne smiled affectionately. “Lady Jayne Greyjoy, do you remember? In addition, it will be your child, which means that he could not be a stranger to me.”

“Perhaps I will change my mind about your wife. She is much more unusual than I thought.” Uncle shook his head. “I will find your bastards if you indicate where to look.”

“If I knew.” Theon tried to remember his girls. Those who were in Winterfell are useless to look for. They are either dead or hid so good that no one will find them. He should not even think about camp girls from the army of northerners; such girls have always carefully watched not to become pregnant. Greyjoy shook his head, already about to say that he was unlikely to have bastards, but then remembered the girl with whom he had fun two years ago, returning to Pike. “There was one girl, the daughter of the captain of a merchant ship, it was called ... it seems Mariam. She could have been pregnant from me.” Theon frowned, it was unpleasant for him to remember, he felt ashamed for what he done to that girl. “The ship was from Old Town.”

“I will find a girl.” Uncle stood up resolutely. “And if she has a child, I'll bring them both. Iron Islands will have an heir.”


	16. Daenerys III "Fire and Ice"

The walls of Winterfell were warm, which has been surprising Dany ever since she visited the castle for the first time. The walls of other buildings that she had seen were always cold. A few days ago, she even inquired about the reason of it with the girl who served her. In response, the northerner told her about the hot springs that were beating under the castle, warming Winterfell even in the most severe winters.  
“It is probably very good to live permanently in a castle with warm walls,” she thought, sitting on a windowsill and drawing patterns on frozen glass. Winterfell was not her home, but here she felt much calmer and more comfortable than in the palace of Illyrio Mopatis, in the Great Pyramid of Meereen and even in the tent of her Sun and Stars. Maybe the whole thing was in the warm walls and the fact that she finally returned to her homeland, or maybe ... Maybe the whole thing was in the lord of this castle. In Jon Snow, who turned out to be Jaehaerys Targaryen, the son of her brother and the rider of her dragon. He was so strange, so calm and cold. Daenerys had never met men whom her beauty would not have admired, but Jon seemed to be much more enthusiastic about Rhaegal. She slightly changed her pose and sighed. Tyrion advised them to enter into a political marriage, but Dany could not understand what Jon was thinking about this, it seemed that he simply did not care.  
She hadn’t heard the steps behind her, and understood that someone was standing behind only when someone’s hand fell on her shoulder. From an unexpected touch, she shuddered and turned around, intending to demand to remove hands from the queen immediate, but the protest stopped in her throat when she saw the one who touched her.  
“I'm sorry, my queen.” Jon's voice was quiet and always so polite. “Behind the Wall you must be able to walk quietly, otherwise you will quickly become a dead man.”  
“You almost didn't scare me.” With a smile she lied in response. “I thought that this is one of my people, he has feelings for me that are somewhat different from usual devotion.”  
“Mormont.” He smiled, and Dany realized that this it was not a question. “So are you hiding from him here?”  
“I'm not hiding at all.” She suddenly felt extremely embarrassed. “I could not sleep, and I did not want to interfere the sleep of Missandei.”  
“Your little maid?” There was not a drop of the mockery in his voice that she expected to hear.  
“Yes, of her.” Dany jumped to the floor, trying not to touch the interlocutor. “But perhaps I should go to sleep too; I wanted to fly Drogon tomorrow morning.”  
But she was not able to leave, the King of the North gently blocked her path. “You are barefoot.” He shook his head disapprovingly. “You will get sick.”  
“It's warm here.” She tried to object, feeling, however, how her feet were tingled with ice needles. “And the dragons don't get sick.”  
“Only the walls are warm.” A slight smile. “And I happened to get sick despite dragon blood. I hope my queen will let me to protect her from unnecessary risk.” Dany had no time to answer or even plainly figure out what he was talking about, because she was easily picked up.  
The first desire was to demand to put her on the floor, the second - to cling to the young king as tightly as possible, hug him. She did neither one nor the other, only froze in Jon's arms, afraid to move, feeling his heart beating.  
She only came to her senses when he brought her into the room and put her on a large bed, covered with many skins.  
“This is not my room.” She felt how the heart was touched the fluffy paws of fear, but tried to remain calm.  
“No. It is mine.” Contrary to her fears, Jon went to the window and turned his back on her. “You yourself said that your servant is sleeping with you. Sleep here, you need to rest.” He opened the window and a gust of icy wind and moonlight burst into the room.  
“What about you?” Dany trembled, this time from the cold, wondering how her relative would not freeze while standing right by the window.  
“You have no idea, Daenerys, what places I used to sleep while serving on the Wall. Do not worry about me.” Jon waved his hand, as if trying to catch the moonlight. “Take the furs, I know you are freezing.”  
Dany timidly pulled a white skin, somewhat reminiscent of the gift of her Sun and Stars, which she wore in Meereen toward her, wrapped herself in it and froze, still afraid herself not knowing what.  
“It was the room of my uncle and aunt.” Jon spoke quietly. ‘And in the one that was given to you, in childhood I lived with my brother. His name was Robb; he died when he led the troops of the North to the South, to avenge his father, to free his sisters.”  
“I also had a brother.” Dany said almost in a whisper. “Viserys. He raised me, and then sold me to the leader of the Dothraki. My husband killed him when Viserys threatened to kill me.”  
“I'm glad I didn't know him.” Just answered Jon, not looking away from the window. “But in the place of your husband, I would have done the same.” Dany smiled faintly, and he, not seeing this, continued. “I had five cousins, now they are all dead, and I became King of the North. Aunt Ket was lucky did not live up to this day, she was afraid of me taking the inheritance from her children more than everything in the world. She hated me for the very possibility of this. My uncle did not tell her the truth, for many years she saw a stranger's child nearby, she suffered and tormented me. All our conflicts with her are uncle's fault.”  
At first, Dany decided that he wants her to feel sorry for him, but after a second she realized that it wasn’t true, he was just talking, just wanted to share all of this with at least someone. “Your uncle defended you, I’m sure he loved you.”  
“I think the same.” Jon's voice sounded as before, and she could not understand what he was feeling. “But his love ended with the Wall for me. If not for the tragedy that happened to my family, I would have stayed there forever.”  
“But he raised you.” Weakly objected Dany, feeling that the interlocutor would not accept her words.  
“Your brother also raised you, Daenerys. My uncle, of course, did not sell me to anyone, but he did not tell me the truth, deprived me of a choice.” He shook his head. “It is difficult for bastard to find a place for himself in the world, but if the boy I was knew the truth ... I would not go to the Wall, most likely I would decide to go to you, to look for my relatives.  
Dany was silent, not knowing what to say, and wrapping herself in a snow-white skin. She did not want to offend Jon and yet did not understand him, she could easily have given all the truth about herself for the quiet childhood, a loving uncle, brothers and sisters who would see her as a loved one, and not an instrument for fulfilling her plans.  
“Do you like the North?” He suddenly changed the topic, apparently realizing that she did not understand him.  
“It's beautiful here.” Dany smiled, although Jon could not see it. “I saw snow for the first time; it shines so much under the moon.”  
“Like your hair.” He finally turned around, holding a handful of snow in his hands. Dany was embarrassed when she first heard from him a recognition of her beauty, and Jon smiled and blew into the snow, making it scatter around the room.  
“How beautiful.” Dany reached out and caught one of the snowflakes. “Will I still see snow if I go south?”  
“Mandatory. Soon snow will be everywhere. Winter has come.” He suddenly sighed heavily, as if trying to find a way to start an unpleasant conversation. “Daenerys, I wanted to tell you that I am ready to abandon the throne in your favor, Winterfell would be enough for me.”  
“No.” She wanted to say the same words to him, how could he have done this before her? “No, it is me who will give up the throne in your favor and remain the Princess of Dragon Stone.”  
“You do not want to become a queen?” “She seemed to surprise him for the first time.” “I thought that was your main goal.”  
“I wanted to return the throne to our house; I thought that I was the last Targaryen.” She raised, not believing that Jon considered her just a fool seeking for power. “But now I don’t need to become a queen, you have more rights as my brother’s son.”  
“Please forgive me.” He came closer, resting his shoulder on the canopy. “Tell me, Daenerys; are you in love with someone?”  
“In love. No. I do not know.” Anger quickly gave way to bewilderment when she looked at the king, feeling that she knew the answer, but did not want to tell him at all. “Why do you need this?”  
“You were against a political marriage, avoiding me. I thought this was because you want to be the sole ruler or because of love.”  
“Because of love.” She whispered in response, realizing that she would have to tell everything. She was silent for too long, too long. “I cannot be your queen.”  
“Why?” So quiet and so confident. Why aren’t the previous words enough for him, he doesn’t care about this marriage, why force her...  
“The main task of the queen to give birth to an heir.” She said, trying to keep her voice from trembling. “And I will never have children.” She wanted to end on this, but could not, the words poured against her will. “The witch killed my husband and my unborn baby, she said that my husband will not return to me before the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, the seas dry, the mountains fly in the wind like birds, and I can give birth to a living child.” It was like fog covering my eyes, a water droplet rolled down my cheek. Where did it come from, it couldn’t be tears, all her tears burned in Drogo’s funeral pyre.” I can never become a mother; I cannot give my husband an heir and a son. If this marriage becomes a reality, you cannot become a father, and I cannot, Jon, not with you, this is just my curse.” It seemed to her that she practically screamed the last words, and it was all the same to her how she addressed Jon, he would understand anyway. Her eyes filled with the returning tears, completely closing the room, and it was all the more unexpected when Jon carefully hugged her shoulders and pressed her to him.  
“Dany.” There was so much tenderness in his whispered words. “Dany, this is not important. Do you know why I left the Wall? My brothers betrayed me, tried to kill me, when I woke up, I realized that I no longer had any emotions, no grief, no joy, nothing. I thought that I would live the rest of my life like this, but then you appeared, and along with admiration to you, human feelings began to return to me. You brought me back, saved me from myself, Dany. I want to become a father, but if I have a need to choose between a child and you, I will choose you.”  
Not believing what she had just heard, she looked up and met Jon's gray eyes, so dark that they seemed black. “Jon, you really ...” She couldn’t finish the sentence, but he understood.  
“Yes.” He smiled at her, and this time the smile was different, real.  
“But what about the heir to the throne?”  
“We will appoint Tyrion or someone else, we will have time to decide, we have so many years ahead.” He carefully wiped her tears.  
“Yes you are right.” Dany caught his palm and finally smiled.  
Jon did not answer, only smiled again, and then carefully touched her lips with his own. The world ceased to exist for her, it did not matter where she was, and what was around her, only he was important - the only, beloved...  
She did not know how much time had passed, when the kiss ended, she felt lost, happy. “Jon.” A whisper was barely audible to herself. “Please never let me go.”


End file.
